By Ananya Kulkarni, Web Editor

Four years ago, senior Sean Naimoli took a ceramics class on a whim simply to fill space in his schedule. Little did he know that class would change his life. Naimoli has now been working with ceramics for years and has even created a studio in his own garage.

“I have a wheel that I bought off of a Senior when I was a freshman, a small manual electric kiln, and the Raku kiln that I built myself with the help of Mr. Starner,” Naimoli said.

Over the years, Naimoli’s interest developed further, he first joined the Mudder’s club as a freshman and has now worked his way up to president of the club.

“Joining Mudders club really played to my interests because it is simply open studio time. I could take one hour every week to work on whatever I wanted in the studio,” Naimoli said. “Being the president of the club has really helped me because I have had the chance to do so many cool things, like Raku Firing at school, and meet so many new people.”

Ceramics and the Mudders club changed the way Naimoli was able to interact with the arts and greatly influenced his time in the Studio Art program at Conestoga.

“Ceramic and art in general have really helped shape and change the way in which I see the world around me. Not to mention, clay is incredibly unforgiving and humbling. Ceramics at Conestoga has taught me patience and  perseverance,” Naimoli said. “It has given me so many new skills and with the help of our amazing art and technology teachers, I have learned more than I ever thought I would.”

Ananya Kulkarni can be reached at [email protected]