Students in Skyline College’s Ceramics Club got a chance to participate in the annual California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art from April 30 to May 2 in Davis.

Over 40 colleges were given the opportunity to engage in the three-day conference to learn more about the art of ceramics. Students had over 50 exhibitions and workshops to choose from, as well as lectures by successful ceramics artists to attend.

The trip was co-sponsored by ASSC and gave the students a chance to have their work critiqued by not only their peers, but also professionals in the field. During the conference, participants were given a chance to turn a space in downtown Davis into their own gallery where they were able to gain experience on what it would be like to be a professional artist themselves.

This was Skyline’s second year attending the 21-year-old conference, and many of the returning students were pleased with this year’s installment.

“This was my second year and I was not disappointed,” said Roxanne Ross, a Skyline student and a member of the Ceramics Club. “The demos and lectures put on by the John Natsoulas Gallery were informative and humorous; the artists very friendly and willing to share their secrets.”

Tiffany Schmierer, the Ceramics Club adviser, was really happy with this year’s turnout. She was glad to see that so many of her students enjoyed the conference, and proud of the work ethic Skyline proved to have when setting up their gallery in downtown Davis.

“The installation took 10 hours and included painting pedestals, hanging lights, and even building walls,” Schmierer said. “It was really rewarding to see my students work so hard together to put on an exhibition of such high quality.”

Many students were excited about meeting people from other schools and learning new techniques that they could bring back to Skyline and incorporate in their own classes. Sheila Loggan, a first-time participant, feels that those who got a chance to go to the conference this year will bring a whole new level of expertise to their classes. She also feels that this conference made students yearn for more involvement with their craft.

“One student stopped and sat to visit,” Loggan said. “She said that she was outgrowing her kitchen table as a work room and needed more space to work at home.  A common thread among all artists I suppose.”

Another common thread among the students who attended the trip was the importance of learning from each other and keeping the threads of communication within the ceramics community strong. Several students enjoyed the communal aspect of the conference more than anything, as well as the ability to speak to other artists who were going through or had gone through the same experiences and who had come out on top.

Many felt that the conference’s ability to showcase the talents of multiple individuals and allow them to mingle with each other was what made the conference so strong.

“It’s rewarding as a student of the Skyline Ceramics Department to have an opportunity to show my work and be inspired by the multitude of other schools and organizations involved in ceramics throughout California,” said Linda Fahey, a returning attendee of the conference.

Another Skyline student, Barbara Frauman, believes that the California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Art is something that can be life-changing for someone who truly wants to break in to the ceramics scene on a professional level.

“[The conference was] three days of amazing visual, inspirational, and educational stimulation—all around clay,” Frauman said. “The lectures and demos at CCACA plant a multitude of creative seeds in your mind for future projects. It should be on every serious potter and sculptor’s list of things to do.”