Ceramics, students and holiday shopping

Tacoma Community College is gearing up for their 20th annual ceramics sale. With Christmas and the holidays on their way, many people are looking for creative and thoughtful gifts for friends and family. This annual tradition will host student artists who have crafted everything from functional bowls and cups, to decorative pieces for you to enjoy.

While this is a great addition to your holiday calendar, it’s also a great opportunity for fellow student artists. Kristina Batiste a ceramics student at TCC believes that this event is a great community builder, not only with students but with the Tacoma community as well, “We promote the sale in many local event calendars, newspapers, neighborhood groups,” she said.

Batiste explains that TCC’s goal is to cater to and serve a diverse community which is why the sale itself is a community event rather than a purely academic one.

Platforms like this also help young artists collaborate and dip a toe into selling their work.

“The sale gives people a chance to see how something a classmate worked on came out and ask them questions about it, get new ideas, etc.,” Batiste said. “Potters are generally pretty friendly people, and happy to talk about process and ideas and technique, this is a great avenue for that.”

Collaboration is a fun and necessary part of the artistic process for many people, and community events like these can help budding artists develop their craft.

“A public, in-person sale gives an artist a chance to see how people react to their work, identify things they want to refine, and find out how their prices will be received,” Batiste said.

While many people participate in the event, and it’s open to all ceramics students, it’s mostly the advanced students. Batiste explained that while it’s not a huge goal everyone is working on all year, the event is well known and happens every spring and winter.

Rick Mahaffey from TCC’s ceramics department also adds that “Some students will see work from past quarters [get inspired] and make a few special pieces for the sale.”

TCC’s art department is flourishing with over 300 students in each program. If each area of their art school had a sale, Christmas shopping would be so much easier. But for now, we’ll have to satisfy our holiday hunger with their upcoming ceramics sale.

Event Details:

Dates: Dec. 8 & 9
Times: 10 a.m.–6 p.m., 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Location: Tacoma Community
College Campus, Building 11
Senate Room
Payment: Cash & credit cards accepted