HOLLY BURDICK
Special to The Leader
Nov. 17 was the day of the Fall Student Art Sale. This year it featured over 15 artists and their artwork. The show raised about $2,250 and $900 of that went to the Lakeshore Humane Society. There was a great turnout, although the artists below all wish for more sellers and visitors next semester and years to come.
Christopher Perry
Despite recently joining the ceramics program, senior Christopher Perry has been making ceramics “pretty steadily for the last year.” He came to Fredonia as a drawing and painting major, and now he is a ceramics major with an art history minor.
“There’s a serenity that comes with making [ceramics;] when the wheel turns and you’re just making pottery, it’s very relaxing,” he said.
Perry’s goals consist of owning his own studio and maybe even getting into a gallery or a museum somewhere. Perry said he is “really, really interested in Mesoamerican pottery, but all of it is really interesting.”
Perry believes pottery is a universal language. “Everyone’s gotta eat, and they’ve gotta have something to eat out of.
“I want to be down here, with the earth, where this comes from,” Perry chuckled, showing the love and passion for what he is doing.
GiAnna Ligammari
“Little cagelings” were the featured sculptures at the table of senior GiAnna Ligammari, a BFA animation and illustration major. They were small white bird-like characters. Each had its own personality.
“They’re part of a fairytale that I have created. They’re a bunch of my own characters,” she said. Ligammari explained that she loves to draw birds, so many of her creations have the aspect of a bird incorporated in it somewhere. The fairytale exists in a journal, which has been a work in progress for two years. The sculptures were featured in last semester’s show and were a big hit, so she brought them back.
With each little cageling that was adopted, a name and “a purpose in life” was given. An example being “Sweet Dorothy, I’m here to help you with your stress, hold me tight — I’ll do the rest.” The specific purpose of each little cageling was whatever Ligammari decided, so it was fate.
Ligammari’s art did not stop there. At her table she had not only the little cagelings, but also different canvas works and zines. A “zine” is a mini comic book, and each one was special to each of the seasons. Ligammari explained that inspiration for each piece of her work was based solely on what popped into her head, and whatever she was feeling.
It was “like a spilling of my imagination,” she said.
Julian Perez
“My favorite part about making pottery specifically is just the satisfaction [of] knowing you have a functional piece of art,” said Julian Perez, a junior fine arts major with a concentration in sculpture. Pottery is a commercial product, and everyone can relate to it — everyone uses a bowl.
Starting as a sophomore in high school, Perez realized his passion for pottery, and he took another class his senior year.
“Since then, I just can’t stop … It’s just so satisfying,” he said.
Perez admited he feels the stresses of the classwork, but outside of the regulations, he connects with the “love for it” again, and refers to the process as “peaceful.” Admitting that, with the regulations and stress of class, the love almost goes away. When Perez is able to create what he wants, how he pleases, is when the love shines through.
Getting caught up in the daydream, Perez spoke of the “really soft clay … and just a nice delicate process. Overall it’s a very peaceful experience.” On his personal process, he said, “I usually go in with a little bit of a vision, a basic idea.” Each one of his pieces, between the actual formation, drying, firing and glazing steps, takes about a week. “Tell the world to take pottery on the wheel It’s really rewarding.”