Lake Wales Arts Council creates Studio 60 class to fill need

Lake Wales camp offers ceramic classes for older kids

For a week in July, instructor Sadie Paxton spent a lot of time on a pottery wheel going over the basics.

LAKE WALES, Fla. - For a week in July, instructor Sadie Paxton spent a lot of time on a pottery wheel going over the basics.

"Centering is making sure that the clay is in the exact center of the wheel, because if it's off to the side, it's lopsided," she explained to a student.

Paxton stressed to the class how challenging the first steps of wheel throwing can be, reminding them that each student takes about an hour to get going.

"I like this quote. It says, you want to know the difference between a master and a beginner. The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried, so that's kind of pottery in a nutshell," Paxton said.

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The backstory:

Each year, the Lake Wales Arts Council offers summer camps for kids. During the school year, a variety of adult classes and workshops are offered. Some parents wanted their kids to participate in summer camps but felt they were too old. Those suggestions planted the seeds for Studio 60.

"We created something that was medium intensive so kids that were already interested in ceramics were able to come in on a studio environment and be playing with clay," Lake Wales Arts Council Operations Manager Gigi Hernandez said.

Hernandez hopes Studio 60 helps bridge the gap between youth and adult classes.

What they're saying:

"We're trying to teach them as much as we can because pottery isn't super accessible at home. You need a kiln, and if you want to do wheel throwing, you need a wheel and a slab roller," Paxton said. "Just being able to get all that packed in so that they have a really good experience. I hope that they continue with the arts. Just being a teacher, I love art so much, so just getting to see them fall in love with it, even if it is four or five days, it's just really rewarding."

What's next:

The council hopes to continue Studio 60 next summer. Registration is currently open for fall classes featuring pottery and stained-glass. Those classes begin in September.

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