Ian Fullmer sat at his desk amidst the noise and hullabaloo of his classroom and planned out his next projects. The ceramics teacher has been using his students’ projects to inspire students not currently in his class — and attempting to expand the 3D Design program.

“I want to push the quality of our portfolios to a college level,” Fullmer said.

Fullmer hopes to build a multimedia design lab, where his students can utilize different materials like metal and glass. Fullmer would also like his students to be able to weld, sandblast and polish different materials.

“There is so much you can do and it doesn’t have to be just clay and glass, anything becomes an option at that point,” Fullmer said.

One of the more important pieces of equipment in his design lab would be a high fire kiln. This kiln would enable the students to produce more work and take pressure off of some of the older kilns.

Recently, the school received a grant for a pugmill — a piece of equipment that will allow the ceramics classes to recycle their old and dried clay.

“I want to teach my students about the science behind everything,” Fullmer said.

In his first year at the school, Fullmer has been designing interactive projects for his ceramics classes to expand interest in the art and 3D design program for prospective students. The 3D design courses deal mostly with clay and ceramics, although the school does have a 3D printer on campus.

“I’m trying to make 3D design a part of the culture of the school and I’m trying to make it a collaborative process,” Fullmer said.

Fullmer is attempting to expand this program by encouraging his students to pursue the advanced ceramics courses. In the advanced courses, the students will continue to create — but with an added outlet of mixed media. Recently, the Advanced Placement class brought driftwood on campus in order to sculpt with materials other than clay.

The advanced classes worked on an installation for the Fine Arts Assembly on Friday, March 13, using the driftwood to create lanterns to be hung in the gym for the assembly.

“I feel that the projects can be a lot of fun and are a great bonding experience among table groups,” sophomore Sohrob Keynejad said.

Fullmer’s most recent project was distributing circular pendants that the students made, at lunch before Valentine’s Day. Each pendant was unique in color and design as the students were allowed to create the pendants as they wished.

3D design students are appreciating the shift in project emphasis.

“The projects bring art to an otherwise bleak environment,” freshman and ceramics student Sam Perry said.

Currently, all of his classes are creating garden gnomes in groups and in the future Fullmer hopes to create and place totem poles around campus with the help of his classes.

The ultimate goal is the students pride and gratification in their art and to showcase that art for people to appreciate.

“The arts are something to be shared with lots of people,” Fullmer said. “I think that everyone can get on board with art.”