Chris Vickers

I have loved working with my hands throughout my years, on this big blue marble. I think it is one of the most rewarding things is to finish a project, then to see something created from my mind and spirit. I have worked with wood mostly, making furniture or small needed display items. I have limited space to have a full-fledged workshop, so the projects had to be made quickly and sometimes in the yard.I have now reached a point in my life, that I can now see retirement coming in the near future. I will need to continue to work as we all know, retirement is just getting pushed out of your full time position or career, then moving to hobbies or working somewhere in retail or other environment. At 51 years of age I finally decided to go to college and get a degree to place a value on my person as a whole. This is important to me because, the lack of higher education, has always been a void in my life, knowing that I did not take school seriously when I was younger, moving straight out of high school into the working class world. I am currently enrolled at a local community college, and working to two different degrees. One in computer graphics with emphasis on photography and video, and the other being studio arts.When I was younger, I worked in ceramics and loved it but have not touched clay for years now. I took a class on three dimensional design, in which you create 3-D pieces of art like statues and abstract pieces. One of the projects was working with clay, and when my hands touched the clay, I felt something start to sing inside. Another project was with plaster, again feeling excitement in creating something from a raw material. I moved over to hand built pottery and I had a blast in my first class in this area with my interest growing more every day. I will be taking another pottery class this semester and also a glass fusion class. I am very glad that I made a decision to venture out into the world of education and found so many different avenues to express myself.I will be posting my pieces of work including drawings, Pottery, design layouts, photographs and may other items I have created. Many are some of my first pieces and I have a long way to go; however, I am looking for honest critiques of my work, so that I can improve and prosper in the future.Chris