Pottery, Passion, and Putting Yourself Out There

Shaylise Sylvester, a ceramics student at UAF, has made a name for herself in the local and national ceramics community. A dedicated artist and educator, she teaches pottery at Raven City Studio and serves as an instructor for UAF’s Visual Art Academy (VAA) during the summer. With a background in psychology, she skillfully combines her knowledge of mental health with her passion for ceramics, demonstrating the therapeutic benefits of art.

Sylvester was recently featured on The Potters Cast, a well-known podcast hosted by Paul Blais. In the episode, she shared her journey of teaching pottery classes at Hoarfrost Distilling, an offsite location that provided a unique, immersive experience for her students.

“It’s pretty exciting that I was featured on The Potters Cast with Paul Blais! I’ve been listening to The Potters Cast for quite some time. I was first introduced to the podcast in my Ceramic Materials class, taught by my professor, Teresa Shannon, about a year ago,” she shared. “I actually got the idea of teaching offsite pottery classes from the podcast, so I was thrilled to share my own experiences teaching pottery classes during the episode. I hope my story will inspire others in some way as it did for me.”

The UAF ceramics community plays a crucial role in exposing students to resources that help them expand their artistic and professional horizons. Just as Sylvester was introduced to The Potters Cast through her coursework, many students gain access to valuable networking opportunities, workshops, and hands-on experiences that extend beyond the classroom. For those looking to deepen their engagement, UAF provides multiple ways to grow, whether by participating in student organizations, showcasing their work, or even stepping into teaching roles like Sylvester has through VAA.

The UAF Ceramics Community: Encouraging Creativity and Engagement

At UAF, Sylvester is deeply involved with the ceramics community, which provides students with numerous opportunities to get involved beyond the classroom.

The Student Ceramics Art Guild (SCAG) is an active organization that fosters a strong sense of community among ceramics students. The guild regularly organizes events such as the Empty Bowls fundraiser, which raises money for local food charities, and invites visiting artists to share their expertise. SCAG also provides students with valuable networking opportunities and a platform to showcase their work. For those interested in ceramics, SCAG is an excellent way to connect with like-minded individuals and deepen their engagement with the craft.

As an instructor for the Visual Art Academy (VAA), Sylvester helps introduce young artists to the world of ceramics. The Summer Visual Art Academy is an intensive visual arts program for students in grades 6–12, offering courses in various artistic disciplines, including ceramics, metalsmithing, and painting. Students select their preferred areas of focus and work at either beginning or advanced levels. This summer’s program, starting in June, presents an excellent opportunity for young creatives to immerse themselves in the arts under the guidance of experienced instructors like Sylvester.

Researching the Intersection of Art and Psychology

Beyond her artistic contributions, Sylvester explores how art and psychology intersect. She participated in URSA’s Research and Creative Activity Day on April 6, 2023, presenting “Art Making with Clay: The Importance of Art Medium in Stress Reduction.” Her study examined whether natural ceramic clay had a greater stress-reducing effect compared to synthetic clay. By measuring cortisol levels in 36 university students before and after a pottery session, she found that working with clay significantly reduced stress, regardless of the material used.

URSA Research and Creative Activity Day returns this year on April 1, offering a chance for the UAF and Fairbanks communities to engage with interdisciplinary research. Events like these showcase the innovative work happening at UAF, highlighting how fields such as art and psychology intersect to reveal new perspectives. Attendees are encouraged to support student researchers like Sylvester, whose work bridges creative and scientific disciplines.

The Strength of UAF’s Art and Psychology Departments

The UAF Department of Art provides students with access to state-of-the-art facilities, experienced faculty, and a vibrant community that fosters artistic growth. The ceramics studio, in particular, is a hub of activity where students experiment, collaborate, and refine their craft. Similarly, the UAF Department of Psychology offers students a strong foundation in understanding human behavior, mental health, and research methodologies, creating opportunities for interdisciplinary studies like Sylvester’s.