WEBSTER – Whether you are a novice or an advanced expert at pottery, it really doesn’t matter to the folks who enjoy spending time on Wednesday afternoons in the art room at Webster Middle and High School. Community members gather for ten weeks during the winter months making creations as part of the school district’s continuing education program.
One of those leaders of the class is Bill Schroeder, a retired art instructor from Spooner. Schroeder says, “I really like the different levels that people are at in this class. Some people were in the class with us last year and are back to improve on their skills. Others are newbies and just saw this offered … and that is okay, too. We have some people who remember their high school art class and they had a good time in that and now they want to come back and give art a try again. It is amazing the people who have not done pottery and then they come back maybe 25 years later. Many say it's like riding a bike again. They just get back on the pottery wheel and it’s like magic again.”
Michael Rygg, an attendee from Siren, says, “This is mostly an introductory class, but I have been doing pottery on and off through a couple of decades. I like to make plates and glasses and functional things.”
Rygg was happy to show off Webster’s kiln, where pottery is fired. Rygg explained, “Kilns are where the magic of pottery happens. The process of firing turns clay into ceramics and your raw work of art into a finished masterpiece.” Early kilns consisted of a bonfire over a hole in the ground, technology has vastly improved to create sophisticated ceramic kilns. According to Rygg, “How a ceramic piece is fired has a huge impact on the look of the finished result. Firing is a craft in itself, and requires an open mind and a good deal of experimentation.”
The classes at Webster continue through Feb. 15. Keep your eye on their continuing education website at webster.k12.wi.us for more information.
