Art Chowder January | February 2018, Issue 13 | Page 47

MUDDY HANDS IN A TECHNO WORLD
T
By Amy Wharf and Ann Contois
here is a certain fascination to
using ones hands to knead a soft,
malleable lump of clay, pulling
and pushing to change its form and
watching as it magically takes shape
into something that did not exist
moments before. The amazing thing
is that here in Spokane, this ages-old
skill is being avidly pursued by three
Gonzaga University college stu-
dents—born of a technological soci-
ety and adept at navigating complex
digital tools—they choose to also
explore the deep satisfaction of cre-
ating an object with their own hands.
Celeste Hatfield, Scott Campbell and
Cory Fusick are the first interns to be
selected for the Young-Fell Memori-
al Internship Program. Sponsored by
the Pottery Place Plus cooperative,
this three-month internship is geared
to hone their professionalism, while
displaying their ceramic artworks,
beginning in February 2018.
Gonzaga University ceramics profes-
sor Mat Rude observes,
“Artists in our technolog-
ical society have new tools
to add to their creative
toolboxes. I feel the act of
making art is extremely im-
portant; more people need
to actively engage their cre-
ative side. Being creative is
instinctual, but people have
just lost touch. I encourage
my students to reconnect
with that energy.”
January | February 2018
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