Imagine being able to create something amazing with your own two hands. Sophomore Chloyee Jones explains how ceramics class has changed her life for the better.

Jones says the best part is “the proud feeling you get when you have the final piece.” 

A little over a year ago, she was sitting in her ceramics class when she volunteered to be the first to go on the pottery wheel- and the rest is history. 

When Jones first started, she mostly struggled with keeping each piece centered but, of course, she eventually got the hang of it after hours of practice. 

“Messing up what you had is the hardest part, but you learn from it so it’s also the best part,” she said. 

Over the summer, Jones purchased her own wheel so she could continue doing what she loved outside of class. A lot of preparation goes into making something beautiful on the wheel. Jones prepares by gathering tools like a sponge, a wood scraper, water, and a rubber scraper. She then kneads the clay, also known as wedging, so that there are no air bubbles. Next, she rolls it into a mostly perfect ball and starts creating.

When asking others about how Jones works, they say she is very motivated to work hard, problem-solve, and even develop her own techniques.

Jones has gained a lot of experience from throwing at least once or twice a week. For those who are struggling with pottery, Jones suggests: “The best thing to do is ask for help and learn techniques that work for you.” 

Even her teacher Ms. Middendorf says she is very good at not only creating but, “taking that knowledge and teaching those around her.” According to her, Chloyee could make teaching ceramics her career, and if not as a job, just as a hobby.