Monroe High School Senior Art Show
When: 4-7 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Monroe High School
About the show: MKM Pottery, created by MHS seniors Morgan Quinn, Katie Demianiuk and Matea Moon, will have functional items such as custom mugs and bowls as well as decorative pieces for sale during the senior art show. The art show will
consist of both two- and
three-dimensional art pieces on display.
MONROE - Three seniors at Monroe High School created their own business doing something they enjoy as a way to raise extra funds before departing for college in the fall.
Katie Demianiuk, Matea Moon and Morgan Quinn created MKM Pottery just three weeks ago.
"We throw so much and so often there's not enough room in our homes for everything we make," Quinn said.
So they began compiling their pieces to be sold. The group researched the best way to create their own business and arranged a partnership with the Monroe Farmers Market on the Square. They began with the final winter market of the season on April 16 and garnered nine sales.
"We met some really cool people, and we're excited for the summer," Moon said. "We sold a lot for the number of people who were there."
MKM Pottery plans to return to the farmers market each Saturday this summer. In the fall, Quinn will head to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire for a pre-med program; Moon to UW-Madison for psychology; and Demianiuk to Hillsdale College in Michigan for biochemistry.
On Wednesday, they will be hosting their second sale of the season during the MHS senior art show from 4-7 p.m. All three have been friends throughout high school, but their individual experiences with clay-forming differ. Moon began creating pottery in her freshman year. Demianiuk started creating pieces in the beginning of her junior year while Quinn, who had finished her advanced placement portfolio early, wandered into the art room during her free time and learned how to create pottery with Moon's help.
They complimented their art teacher Kathy King for encouraging their interest in throwing pottery.
"It was a challenge in the beginning, but I didn't want to quit," Moon said. "Credit to King. She's the type of teacher where you want to spend extra time in her room."
Each of the three has their own style when it comes to forming, or throwing, pottery. While Quinn has formed pieces she described as intricate and detailed, Moon focuses more on large pieces with evolving patterns. Demianiuk said she has a more eccentric flair with her use of color and design. They said their unique styles make it easy to tell which creation belongs to its creator.
"I can get kind of crazy," Demianiuk said. "I can't explain it, but you always know which piece is whose without checking the names on the bottom of the pieces."
The trio creates decorative pottery, such as vases, but also works on functional bowls, mugs and even wine chillers. Quinn said she created custom mugs for her father's Pecatonica Beer Company Taphouse in Warren. Moon designed bowls for the Empty Bowl Dinner fundraiser hosted by MHS in April last year.
"I like that it's a challenge," Quinn said. "It helps me focus, and I like to make something that makes me happy and makes other people happy. Once you get started you don't want to stop."
Demianiuk agreed and said throwing pieces was a way to "de-stress" away from schoolwork. Each time one of the team sits down to throw, the process may take four hours, sometimes longer.
"Usually when we sit down to throw, it will be for hours on end," Moon said. "It's like free therapy."
The three plan to continue buying their own clay and selling pieces in order to save money to help pay for their college education, which they said is a daunting cost. Moon said she knows she has to continue throwing, even if time is limited in college. Each of the three said they want to keep making pieces but are not sure they will be able to schedule enough free time. Following their summer sales, they may consider setting up their business on Etsy, a website for vendors of artistic crafts, but they have no definitive plans yet.
Katie Demianiuk, Matea Moon and Morgan Quinn created MKM Pottery just three weeks ago.
"We throw so much and so often there's not enough room in our homes for everything we make," Quinn said.
So they began compiling their pieces to be sold. The group researched the best way to create their own business and arranged a partnership with the Monroe Farmers Market on the Square. They began with the final winter market of the season on April 16 and garnered nine sales.
"We met some really cool people, and we're excited for the summer," Moon said. "We sold a lot for the number of people who were there."
MKM Pottery plans to return to the farmers market each Saturday this summer. In the fall, Quinn will head to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire for a pre-med program; Moon to UW-Madison for psychology; and Demianiuk to Hillsdale College in Michigan for biochemistry.
On Wednesday, they will be hosting their second sale of the season during the MHS senior art show from 4-7 p.m. All three have been friends throughout high school, but their individual experiences with clay-forming differ. Moon began creating pottery in her freshman year. Demianiuk started creating pieces in the beginning of her junior year while Quinn, who had finished her advanced placement portfolio early, wandered into the art room during her free time and learned how to create pottery with Moon's help.
They complimented their art teacher Kathy King for encouraging their interest in throwing pottery.
"It was a challenge in the beginning, but I didn't want to quit," Moon said. "Credit to King. She's the type of teacher where you want to spend extra time in her room."
Each of the three has their own style when it comes to forming, or throwing, pottery. While Quinn has formed pieces she described as intricate and detailed, Moon focuses more on large pieces with evolving patterns. Demianiuk said she has a more eccentric flair with her use of color and design. They said their unique styles make it easy to tell which creation belongs to its creator.
"I can get kind of crazy," Demianiuk said. "I can't explain it, but you always know which piece is whose without checking the names on the bottom of the pieces."
The trio creates decorative pottery, such as vases, but also works on functional bowls, mugs and even wine chillers. Quinn said she created custom mugs for her father's Pecatonica Beer Company Taphouse in Warren. Moon designed bowls for the Empty Bowl Dinner fundraiser hosted by MHS in April last year.
"I like that it's a challenge," Quinn said. "It helps me focus, and I like to make something that makes me happy and makes other people happy. Once you get started you don't want to stop."
Demianiuk agreed and said throwing pieces was a way to "de-stress" away from schoolwork. Each time one of the team sits down to throw, the process may take four hours, sometimes longer.
"Usually when we sit down to throw, it will be for hours on end," Moon said. "It's like free therapy."
The three plan to continue buying their own clay and selling pieces in order to save money to help pay for their college education, which they said is a daunting cost. Moon said she knows she has to continue throwing, even if time is limited in college. Each of the three said they want to keep making pieces but are not sure they will be able to schedule enough free time. Following their summer sales, they may consider setting up their business on Etsy, a website for vendors of artistic crafts, but they have no definitive plans yet.