Hands on with VCU craft and material students

Daijah Hinmon, Contributing Writer

The Department of Craft and Material Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University offers a unique major not available at every university, according to the VCUarts website.

The program includes five main areas of study: glass, fiber, clay, metal and wood. Students not only learn to create but also refine communication skills through writing and presenting, according to the VCUarts website.

This program focuses on taking ideas and bringing them to life through a deep understanding of materials and their potential, according to the VCUarts website.

Craft and Material Studies is essential because it bridges the gap between traditional creation, technical process and contemporary art practices, according to Cynthia Myron, chair and assistant professor of Craft and Material Studies. 

“In a world increasingly dominated by digital technologies and mass production, craft provides a meaningful counterpoint by emphasizing hands-on work and intentionality,” Myron said.

The major extends beyond just technical skills, allowing students to develop personal connections and their unique artistic voice within their work, according to Myron. 

Students learn patience, the ability to adapt and the drive to innovate. This wide range of skills allows graduates to be versatile outside of college, Myron said.

VCU is the only school that offers a standalone Bachelor of Fine Arts in Craft and Material Studies, Myron said. Other universities have condensed their degree into broader programs such as Visual Arts.

“That shift I think reflects the evolving nature of education and the need for programs to adapt to the changing student interest,” Myron said.

The program has remained well-supported and recognized at VCU, according to Myron. She said she wishes the department could offer more classes to students across the university.

“I think this rise in interest also reflects a broader societal desire for personal connection, sustainability and a return to more mindful, ethical ways of living and creating,” Myron said.

Community and teamwork play an important role in this field of study, according to Myron. 

“There is a misconception that art is created in isolation, but that really couldn’t be further from the truth,” Myron said. “Collaboration is essential and our students often work together in the studio late into the evenings and weekends.”

Working with your hands is an important skill to learn in a world that is becoming increasingly digital, according to Beatrice Evans, the ceramic studio coordinator.

“We have really awesome equipment that you don’t get access to once you’re outside the university,” Evans said.

Evans, a former craft and material student, chose to get her graduate degree at VCU because of the facilities offered to students in the craft and materials field.

Craft and material students work together to keep the spaces safe and clean by holding communal clean-ups and by understanding the equipment, Evans said.

Students gain an entrepreneurial spirit through the program. They have taken the variety of skills they have learned and implemented them in various career paths, Evans said.

Spiral Clay Collective is one of many pottery studios in Richmond run by VCU graduates from the program, according to Evans.

Hannah Burbidge, a third-year craft and material student, said the community built through this program includes diverse thinkers, creators and supportive professors. 

“I think that craft students who get to learn how to be a conceptual studio artist will also simultaneously learn how to navigate making money with production-based work,” Burbidge said. 

The Department of Craft and Material Studies offers professors who have previous experience in the artistic field. It inspires students who may feel like they will not find success in the future, Burbidge said

Jayden Gail Stanely, a third-year craft and material student, switched her major from sculpture to Craft and Material Studies to learn more tangible skills like using a saw or blowing glass.

“I think in our world where everything is made for us, we kind of lose that love and appreciation for a true handmade object,” Stanely said.

Sculpture provides more conceptual freedom, while Craft and Material Studies focus on specific concentrations of materials like fabric or clay. Sculpture is abstract and less tangible in comparison to Craft and Material Studies, according to Stanley. 

“I loved that freedom, but I had to take a step back and ask myself, ‘Where would I learn more?’” Stanley said.

In order to learn anything, you have to get out of your comfort zone, according to Stanely.

“Embrace it,” Stanely said. “Take it as a sign that you are doing something right.”