By Staff
CERAMICS Retired Chicago police officer George Ford paints a ceramic elephant at Meridian's Senior Citizen Center. Ford took up ceramics three years ago while living in Texas and is a regular at the senior center. Photo by Lynette Wilson/The Meridian Star
By Lynette Wilson / staff writer
Jan. 2, 2003
Carole Ewing said the biggest myth about ceramics is that it's all about making an ashtray or a coffee cup.
Registration for winter classes offered by the Meridian Parks and Recreation Department begins Monday and ends Jan. 17.
Classes begin Jan. 20 and run for eight weeks.
Ceramics classes operate year-round at the Ceramic Studio at the senior center. All other classes are are at the Senior Citizen and Velma Young centers.
The classes include hand quilting, machine quilting, stained glass, yoga, cake decorating, heirloom sewing and smocking, one stroke painting and floral design, among others.
Lorine Moseley, director of the Meridian Senior Citizen Center, said classes are not just for senior citizens.
Moseley said the classes are more or less what people want. If 10 people express an interest, she said, she will organize a class.
Moseley started work with the city 32 years ago and remembers when volunteers taught the classes. Eventually, part-time instructors were hired.
Pat Norris was into ceramics in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but had been inactive in the craft for more than 30 years.
Both Moseley and Ewing stress that fun comes first and learning second.
For instance, ceramics is open to people of all skill levels and instruction is individual, not formal. The studio is open on Monday from 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
The other classes, however, are limited to eight to 12 students and cost $20 for city residents, $25 for non-city residents and half price for senior citizens.
The fee, however, does not cover for all materials.
For instance, Moseley said, stained glass can cost an extra $25-75 depending on the grade of glass chosen.
For more information, or a complete list of classes and meeting times, call 485-1805 or 485-1802 or visit www.meridianms.org.