By Kashalah Robinson |Contributor
The Augusta University Art and Design Department held its spring semester Mad Potter Sale on March 5-7 just outside the Jaguar Student Activities Center building. Every semester, the department puts on this three-day event that fills the grassy area outside the JSAC with people and colorful art pieces.The event provides art students the platform to showcase and sell their ceramics, sculptures and pottery to not only university students, but the entire Augusta community.Under the white tent, Mike Wetzel, an art student, exhibited for his 17th semester in ceramics. This year he had two tables filled with various pieces of pottery, from cups and bowls to sculpted penguins and Eastern-themed eggs.
“I like making things,” Wetzel said. “The artist in me wants to make stuff, and I’m retired, so I can come here to class and make all the things I want, and I get to sell them at the end of the semester. I like being able to come out and make money while also showing people what I can do with various materials.”Alongside veteran Wetzel was first-year exhibitor James Griffin. A senior art major, Griffin was excited to be out and selling his pieces at Mad Potters.“I looked forward each semester seeing the ideas that everyone has come up with,” Griffin said about the annual sale. “I’m also excited to sell my own. There aren’t too many opportunities to have an organized space on campus to sell original pieces.”Jamie Sapp, who graduated with a degree in communication in December, enjoys the festivities of the Mad Potter Sale annually. She likes seeing students present their masterpieces each year.“Mad Potter has great artwork and pieces that they distribute out each semester,” Sapp said. “It’s always good to give them support because these are our art students here and they can be easily overlooked. We have a lot of great opportunities for art and design students and for them to distribute their work is amazing. We have to show them support here on campus. I always support the arts and buy something.”Pieces sold varied from $5 to $50 with the money going directly to the students. Join the Mad Potters again in the fall as they continue to distribute their work here on campus.