Undergraduate and graduate students can do anything from learning footwork on standard and international style dances to making ceramic ware using a potter’s wheel.
Located in the basement of the Stamp Student Union, the Art and Learning Center offers non-credit studio classes in photography, ceramics, drawing, painting, self-development, music and dance. The staff at the Art and Learning Center decides which classes to offer each semester based on popularity and student feedback.
“Students usually take a class for enjoyment or to improve themselves,” said Pamela Hernandez, graduate assistant coordinator at the Art and Learning Center.
The Art and Learning Center is a place where students can be creative and express themselves.
“Our classes are very community driven. Therefore, we look for people that are passionate and are leaders. This means that sometimes we rely on word of mouth to pick our instructors,” Hernandez said.
For instance, Gina Mai Denn, has been a ceramics instructor at the Art and Learning Center since 2001. Before, starting work at the University of Maryland, she taught ceramics classes at the Greenbelt Community Center.
“What I enjoy most about teaching is that everybody has such a great time and creating ceramics can be very exciting,” Mai Denn said.
Her class in the Art and Learning Center has room for six people to work on individual potter’s wheels.
Each Monday night, for a period of two hours over ten weeks, her students come to talk and create different ceramic objects.
“I really enjoy having the time to be creative. Each class is really fun and challenging while at the same time frustrating because so much can go wrong. There’s always room for improvement and new things to learn. The instructors really teach to everyone’s individual skill level,” Ann Muolo, coordinator at the College of Agriculture said.
For Kate Bostic, who is a second year student pursuing a doctorate in audiology here at UMD, the class allows her to de-stress.
“For two hours a week I don’t have to worry about school. Instead I can just focus on creating different ceramic pieces to take home. I don’t really have time for this [ceramics] class but I continue coming because it’s just so much fun,” Bostic said.
This class serves the same purpose for Kathryn Kovarik, another member of the class.
“I enjoy creating. I don’t get any time for myself at home because I have two young children,” Kovarik said.
These classes don’t necessarily have the same meaning to each individual, but one of the Art and Learning Center’s main focuses is to allow students to have a place to channel their creativity.
“We work with students and promote an outlet for academics and creativity allowing students to cultivate their individual interests,” Neal McKinney, another graduate assistant coordinator at the Art and Learning Center said.
All classes are open to students, staff, and the public and are run during spring, summer, and fall semesters. Registration starts at the beginning of each semester and prices range from $32 for Modern Dance to $300 for Introduction to Intermediate Adobe Photoshop.
Learn a new skill, or improve one, and check out this artistic haven, located in the most convenient place on campus.