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His passion for his medium—and for teaching—is impossible to miss. Ceramics Professor Benjie Heu talks about what students can gain from working with clay.
Benjie Heu, Professor of Ceramics in the Art and Design Department at SEMO, believes that ceramics are much more than just water and clay. They can be art, function, self-expression, a way to connect with others or with the past—whatever the artist needs it to be.
And with such a long history, there’s certainly a lot to learn about the medium. Luckily, ceramics offers plenty of opportunities for students to grow their skills.
While the process of creating an individual piece takes about two weeks, it’s never just one piece. According to Professor Heu, creating ceramics is a numbers game. For example, a student might make ten bowls in order to get one or two good pieces.
“Practice makes perfect” is an old adage, but a good one for any student. Learning, growing, and relentlessly moving forward—at Southeast and in the ceramics studio, that’s what we do.
You don’t stress so much about making mistakes because you know you can just recycle it and make another one. It helps you accept fault. It helps you kind of accept that the world’s not gonna be perfect.
Benjie Heu
Professor of Ceramics, Art and Design
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Department of Art + Design
The Department of Art + Design offers classes in digital art, graphic design, printmaking, painting, sculpture, ceramics, and interior design. You’ll learn from expert artists while earning a degree that will equip you for a career that you’re passionate about.
