MSJC Instructor’s Work at Holiday Fair on Sunday

By Karin Marriott, MSJC

Valerie Reed chairs the sociology department at Mt. San Jacinto College’s Menifee Valley campus, sits on its Diversity Committee and serves as faculty internship program coordinator for the college for San Diego and Imperial Counties Community College Association. She also teaches five classes.

“I needed a break to do something that would allow me to be creative but not be work related,” said Reed, who has been a full-time faculty member at MSJC since 2001.

Reed’s friend and former colleague, Carol McGrath, got her interested in ceramics about a year and half ago and now she spends about three days a week at Studio 4 Ceramics in Temecula. Her instructor, Robin Vojak, teaches her about the process and certain techniques.

The studio is having its first holiday craft sale and open house on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be music, hand blown glass, Raku demonstrations and a chance for visitors to create and fire their own piece. Studio tours and pottery wheel demonstrations will be available all day. There will also be an arts and crafts booth with handmade pottery, jewelry, paintings and more.

This will be Reed’s first time selling her works. Until now she has gifted friends and family with her pottery.

She said what she intends at the beginning of a ceramics project is not always what she ends up with after it has been fired in the kiln. But she is usually pleased with the results.

“I couldn’t be a production potter – every one of my pieces is one-of-a-kind,” she said. “I get ideas when I’m out and about. I really like the design part.”

Vojak has taught continuing education art classes at MSJC and will be teaching again for the Spring semester. She opened Studio 4 about two years and offers lessons to youth groups, high school students and adults of all ages.

Reed said she chooses which glaze to use depending on the shape or function of the item.

“What I’m using it for might influence the interior and exterior glaze,” she said.

She said she is happiest when she sees one of her items being used, either decoratively or functionally.

“To know someone is eating their breakfast cereal out of one of my bowls every day is very cool,” she said.

About five years ago Reed developed her own skin care line for women of color. She mostly sells her products through her website: www.valanaminerals.com.

“I couldn’t find makeup to match my skin and when it did (match) my skin would break out,” said Reed, of Oceanside. “I only do foundation and eye and lip color now but it’s a very diverse line.”

Spending winter and summer breaks in Hawaii helps Reed rejuvenate and get inspiration for her creative endeavors.

“I look at the ocean and say ‘that would make a great color for an eye shadow,’” she said.

Studio4 Ceramics is at 42112 Remington Ave. in Temecula. For more information, please call 951-296-2270 or visit www.studio4ceramics.com.