Heard of a club dedicated to the art of pottery? Here at Pinole Valley High, that’s Ceramics Guild! This club has been around since December 2018, started up by seniors that have all now graduated and June Nguyen, an underclassman at the time. 

“Why did you all decide to form it?” I inquire.

June responds, “Last year, our school only had three pottery wheels. We, the students of Ceramics 1, couldn’t use the wheels because there were so many people. Plus, there’s only [one] teacher so all of us wouldn’t be able to throw on the wheels. We were very interested in learning how to do that. Therefore, the only way that we could use the wheels was to create a club for students who are interested in throwing on the wheels. We also wanted to explore more about ceramics and pottery since the time in class … wasn’t enough”.

To sum it up, there were only three pottery wheels that all of Ceramics 1 had to share, meaning that there wasn’t enough time for all of the students to really practice on it. Ceramics Guild was the solution to that. The founding members wanted more time to cultivate their talent for pottery. 

“Are there any other goals, besides expanding interest in ceramics and having more time on the wheels?” I question.

“Probably to practice business. We eventually sold our products at Pinole Farmers’ Market because we needed funding, but eventually, we enjoyed it a lot. Therefore we decided to make it a main goal for the club this year. Our club isn’t only an art club but also a business club,” June replies. 

So not only is this club meant to make amazing art pieces, but members of the club also hone in on their business skills. On Sundays, Ceramics Guild sells its pieces (such as mugs with handles and planting pots) at the Pinole Farmer’s Market.

“We try to go to the market every other week, but sometimes it takes longer to have the finished products… We [sell] 6-9 pieces on average… [which] range from $17-$25” June elaborates.

The club usually sets up at 8 and leave around 1. Ms. Shokrai, their sponsor, and at least two other club members are there to man the stall. The profits that Ceramics Guild makes goes towards more supplies for the club. Not every pottery piece that’s made is sold. For every two pieces that a member makes, they get to make one that they get to take home. 

This year, it’s run by June Nguyen as President, Haley Richardson as Vice President, Teji Mangat as Treasurer, and Justin Trujillo as Secretary. Meetings are on Tuesdays, after school, in Ms. Shokrai’s room, D106.

I randomly dropped by Ceramics Guild, and it’s filled with people getting their hands dirty for their creations. There’s a chill vibe going on, with members chatting with each other, not too loud but not uncomfortably silent either. It’s one of those clubs where everyone does their own thing, united with a passion for pottery. 

Ceramics Guild is a club for students who love to make and sell as many pieces as they desire. There’s always room for more artistic talent here at Pinole Valley High!

Keep up with Ceramics Guild:

Instagram: @pvh.ceramicsguild

Remind: Text @pvceramics to 81010