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By Julie Rausch

David Dinell

Junior Alaine Kuestersteffen makes a mug for the December Potter’s Guild sale during a mug-throwing contest. Students and faculty challenged each other during the three-hour contest Nov. 12 to see how many mugs they could throw – not against the wall or floor, but on the potter’s wheel.

After a one-year hiatus, the ceramics department will host its popular Potter’s Guild holiday sale and exhibit 5-10 p.m. Dec. 8 and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Dec. 9 in the McKnight Art Center atrium.

The sale will feature the works of David Hiltner, assistant professor of ceramics; David Long, ceramics instructor; and student guild members. There will be music and refreshments.

This year marks the 24th time WSU has hosted the ceramics sale, which includes functional and decorative art.

Most prices range from about $10 to $100. Forty percent of the money raised goes to the Potter’s Guild. Those funds will pay for visiting artists, a student scholarship and to help fund a trip to a conference next year. The artists get the remainder of the money from the sales.

This year has not been without its challenges, however. The ceramic department depends on two clay mixers. One that is more than 30 years old gave out, and now the department is down to one mixer that only works part of the time, Hiltner says.

Despite that, students and faculty have still been able to produce. There will be many beautiful, creative and unique pieces of art to purchase for that one-of-a-kind gift, Hiltner says.

The mixers serve faculty and five graduate students, 18 undergraduate majors and about 100 freshmen who use the Henrion Hall studio for various art projects.

There have been a few times when the department had no choice but to purchase the more expensive boxed clay. Hiltner says. A new mixer is expected to arrive in two weeks, Hiltner says.