Hooked on Ceramics

One of the many myths about senior adults is that grandfathers sit on rocking chairs on the front porch and whittle and talk politics all day. Well, maybe some do that. But many don’t.

In the last three months, I’ve told you about three remarkable people who don’t, and who are representative of the Senior Adults who take classes at North Lake College:

•Gladys Morrison, who defied painful knee surgery for several years, thanks to the NLC water aerobics classes.

•Louise Childs, a former school teacher from Canada, who whizzed through computer classes and became the first “Outstanding Senior Adult Student” here.

•Mary Ellen O’Gorman, an 87-year-old community leader and ball of energy, who participates in many NLC courses.

And then there’s 67-year-old “Gnat” Bozeman. (When you acquire “Gnat,” for a nickname, you can be sure it isn’t because you sit around in a rocking chair!)

Indeed, you CAN find Gnat SITTING at the potter’s wheel in a Ceramics II class at NLC. He was exposed to his first ceramics class in college, where he majored in industrial design. He knew then that he liked it and was not surprised when, some 20 years later, he fell in love with ceramics through his first NLC continuing education course, ”Ceramics/Pottery I.”

Gnat’s work as vice president of Baylor Health Foundation wouldn’t allow the time for him to indulge in his newfound passion.

When he retired in 2002, however, he wasted no time in getting back into the program. When he turned 65, he found out about the State of Texas tuition waiver for Senior Adults 65+ in credit courses, and has taken advantage of that. (The waiver is limited to six credit hours per term.)
He also recently applied for a Senior Reserved Parking campus decal.

Bozeman has further proved that he’s “hooked on ceramics” by setting up a studio at his home. And his daughter, an elementary school vice principal, enjoys working with him. Gnat has even begun to sell some of his work. He’s about to complete 27 credit hours in sculpture, although he isn’t going for any degree.

Gnat is only one of a dozen or more Senior Adult art students. One couple, Chuck and Wanda Burton, have established a pottery studio in their backyard. Both have progressed from utter beginners to very advanced work, said instructor Marty Ray. There are other excellent Senior Adults.

The courses these students are taking are mainstream and are not designed specifically for Senior Adults. In fact, the tuition waiver applies to ANY credit course – not just those designed for Seniors. But most of these artists register for the courses, waiver or not.

Bozeman said he feels very fortunate that Irving has a college with high caliber instructors that provides these opportunities for him and his peers.
Drop in on one of the ceramics classes on any day and you’ll find them intent, serious and open to learning.

(Korkye Purviance is the senior adults program manager at North Lake.)