For senior Seth Hinder, ceramics is unlike any other artistic medium. “I like ceramics because of its third dimension,” Hinder said. “I like the feel of making something in my hands more than drawing or painting.”
Despite Hinder’s other commitments to swimming and lacrosse, he said that ceramics will always remain one of his favorite hobbies.
Hinder first discovered his interest in art when he started taking art classes in elementary school, but it wasn’t until eighth grade that Hinder learned about ceramics through his brother, who was taking the class as a senior. “I started taking ceramics my junior year,” said Hinder. “I wanted to take it my sophomore year, but when I was a sophomore, the school moved the course to a junior and senior year course.”
After taking the Ceramics 1 course, Hinder realized he loved ceramics, and decided to take Ceramics 2. “[Sculpting] makes me feel relaxed, as well as allows me to think freely about other aspects of my life,” Hinder said.
Hinder draws inspiration from several sources. “Last year, the inspiration for my work came from collective history,” Hinder said. “This year, however, I am doing an installation piece with my inspiration coming from the unrestricted spending on our government’s military and growing national debt.”
The amount of time and effort that Hinder puts into his sculptures is obvious, spending almost every off mod he can in the art wing. “He’s always working,” art teacher Bruno Baran said. “Every time I turn around, he’s here.” But Baran, in all seriousness, said that he’s impressed with Hinder’s work, “He’s done a lot of research. He’s attentive to detail.”
“I’m [in Mr. Baran’s room] before he gets there and after he leaves,” Hinder said. “Sometimes I go down after lacrosse practice to work and I end up staying until eight.” Hinder’s strong feelings toward the installation he’s currently working on for his AP Art portfolio stem from his interests in history, the military, and the misuse of government funds that has caused the country’s current economic depression.
“I want people to challenge how they think,” Hinder said about his installation piece. “I want them to incorporate my ideas with their ideas and maybe revolutionize how they feel about the government.”
Art teacher Michael Gaudreau is equally impressed with Hinder. “He’s progressed in leaps and bounds. He’s not afraid to take giant steps,” Gaudreau said. “Seth feels deeply about things and is always seeking out ways to express his ideas in three-dimensional form.”
In the future, Hinder sees himself majoring in history at Elizabethtown College where his brother – the same brother who sparked Hinder’s interest in ceramics – graduated last May. After college, Hinder plans on joining either the Air National Guard or the Air Force and signing up for Para-Rescue, something he’s always wanted to do because of his family’s background in the military. His grandfather served in World War II, and his dad attended military school.
But even with his many college plans, Hinder said, “I definitely believe that I will continue to pursue ceramics.”
Nicky Hatzidimitriou can be reached for comment at [email protected]