Senior Dana Grimmel scrutinizes the intimidating block of clay in front of her,
deciding what to make. She looks around at the other students’ projects and
then it hits her. With Halloween fast approaching and fall already here, why not
make a pumpkin mug?

Grimmel joined the clay club her junior year. “It was more of grab a friend and see if we
can play with clay situation,” Grimmel said. She wanted to continue it this
year because she loves working with clay and “watching what other people make
out of a simple ball of clay.”

Grimmelorchestrated the Clay Club with art teacher Michael Gaudreau for this school
year. “I do try to set up and bring in snacks,” she said. The club was started
for all students, but especially those unable to take the ceramics course, and
“for those who wanted to let their creativity out in a new kind of way,”
Grimmel said.

“It’s not really a class situation. You can come in and make anything you want. If
you want to try something complicated, I’ll help you with it, or if you just
want to work on something simple,” Gadreau said

There are about fourteen students in clay club, which is a big group, according to
Gaudreau. Though it is not a formal class, if a lot more students
become members, the clay club will have to start charging students for their
clay.

The clay club meets every Friday after school in the art wing until four o’clock. Grimmel
loves the current outcome of clay club. “Clay club was a success from the
beginning. When I told a few of my friends about it they were thrilled that
they could still be able to make new and creative works of art without taking
the class.”

Ashley Beyer is a Lifestyles Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.