On a cold and stormy Wednesday on campus, things were lightened up with the colorful energy of the Pride Pots Project.

The project was started by Western Carolina University art professor Heather Mae Erickson in 2021 and involves her traveling across the country to help participants paint pre-made clay bowls of different shapes and sizes. When a bowl is completed, it is given to the event leadership to be auctioned off to support a scholarship fund for underrepresented students in Master of Fine Arts programs at WCU.

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Originally set to be in Free Speech Alley, the Pride Pots Project event was moved to the LSU Women’s Center due to rainy weather. Even with this last-minute change, the event drew a crowd. 

English major S. Parker, who is also in a ceramics class at LSU, said they came to the event because it looked fun. Parker usually doesn’t go to events on campus but something about this one called out to them. They were excited about the large turnout after being worried the gloomy weather would put people off of attending.

“Queerness and pottery are so hand and hand,” Parker said. “Where there are different types of shapes and colors in pottery, there are also different types of people in the community.”

“Mother Nature is a lesbian,” Parker said when asked what they were painting on their pot. 

Along with Erickson, a group of WCU students also help with the events.

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Abby West, a junior fine arts major at WCU, said that she is a member of the LGBTQ+ community and Pride Pots Project is a safe space for other students. This is the second Pride Pots Project event she has helped with.

“Heather has created this space for people, and I immediately wanted to be a part of it,” West said.

Another WCU student, Zoila Carrasco came along to help. Carrasco is in the ceramics program at WCU and has made two pots for the project. 

“As someone who is bisexual and likes ceramics I was like, why not?” Carrasco said.

A selection of finished pots painted at the event will be displayed to the public at the LSU Museum of Art in downtown Baton Rouge.