The Big Event, Columns Society and Ole Miss Ambassadors are all commonly heard names on campus, but there’s another, lesser-known organization that’s bringing a lot to the table — like bowls and plates.
The Mud Daubers, led by associate professor of art Matt Long, consist of students enrolled in advanced ceramics courses or who are seeking their Master of Fine Arts in ceramics.
“We are interested in a broad pursuit of education through ceramic arts, including production, sales, marketing and community service,” Long said.
The Mud Daubers achieve their objective in a number of ways. Perhaps the most far-reaching of these is their work with Empty Bowls, a charity event that raises money for the local food pantry. Long said the Mud Daubers donate 800 to 1,000 handmade bowls for the event which raise approximately $17,000 for the Pantry.
June Rosentreter, who helps direct Empty Bowls, says that the Mud Daubers are crucial to the event.
“We couldn’t have it without them,” Rosentreter said. “We have potters in the community who certainly donate, but it’s quite an expense to donate even 10 or 20 bowls. The students have all the facilities [at the university] and are very gracious.”
In addition to Empty Bowls, in past years the Mud Daubers have contributed to Very Special Arts of Mississippi at North Mississippi Regional Center. The club also makes “the trophies and medallions for the Double Decker Spring Run and Ole Miss Alumni projects throughout the year,” Long said.
To provide funding, the Mud Daubers participate in the Double Decker Arts Festival on an annual basis and hold both holiday and spring sales.
“Half of all of the organization’s sales go back into the general fund of the student organization and are used to fund our visiting artist program, broadening the pedagogical experience of our students,” Long said.
The funds allow the Mud Daubers to bring in both national and international visiting artists, which, according to Long, is an effort to expand the viewpoint and knowledge of the student body. They also help subsidize the cost of attending the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts and other regional clay conferences as well as expenses for new equipment.
The holiday pottery sale takes place in front of the student union in mid-November. Taylor Mauer, a senior getting her Bachelor of Fine Arts in ceramics and secretary for the Mud Daubers, said it is the organization’s first big event of the school year.
“New members really get a feel for whats it’s like to be a part of our club when we have the holiday sale,” Mauer said.
For the students, though, raising money and giving back to the community are just a couple of the benefits of being a Mud Dauber. Mauer said all of these activities foster strong friendships within the club.
“We are all around each other all the time and we are like a family,” Mauer said. “We all just want to make work that people will love and that we can be proud of.”
Mauer said she believes her involvement in the Mud Daubers will have lifelong affects.
“Being a part of the Mud Daubers is great,” Mauer said. “It has made me feel confident that when I leave Ole Miss, I will be able to make work people will want to buy and be able to do what I love for the rest of my life.”
