A ceramics sale hosted by the Visual Arts Guild raised $869 for Feeding America when it was held in Johnny’s Cafe last week on November 8 and 9.

The sale was previously held in the art department, located in the basement of the Spoelhof Center, but this year it moved to a table in Johnny’s Cafe. Jamie Kuiper, vice president of the Visual Arts Guild, commented on how the move impacted their sales and outreach.

This is the first time the ceramics sale has been a Visual Arts Guild event, according to Kuiper. They picked Johnny’s for its central location on campus. “Students, faculty, staff members and even Friday’s at Calvin students are able to easily find the location. We also had a lot of people who were walking through Johnny’s to the dorms or to classes who stopped to look and buy pieces,” said Kuiper.

The Visual Arts Guild is a student organization dedicated to empowering student artists, as well as connecting the larger student body at Calvin to creative spaces and opportunities.

James Andrew Gilbert, president of Visual Arts Guild, commented on the importance of ceramics, especially for students at Calvin.

Gilbert commented on the attractiveness of both the functionality and beauty of ceramics.  

“I think ceramics is a great place where these two can meet—where you can be like, ‘wow that’s just beautiful’ and also where, sometimes, it can serve a purpose.”

The Visual Arts Guild plans on holding another art sale during the spring semester and will also be submitting ceramics into a new arts festival called ‘Start the Fire’ at the end of the month.