Once again, Conway Springs strikes with a new art teacher. With years of observation and student teaching in elementary, middle school, and high school, art teacher Marissa Ray is finally taking action in the classroom by herself. 

“Kids are more relaxed in art,” she said, “so they are sometimes easier to get along with when they are more relaxed.”

Even as a child, Ray said she always enjoyed drawing. Unfortunately, she said, her schools did not offer an art class. However, that did not stop her from becoming an art teacher and doing what she enjoys.

Ray went to Wichita State University and has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. During her first year at WSU, her original plan was to be an English teacher, so she studied language art sciences. 

Ray said she took Introduction to Ceramics and fell in love with it. She said it was the main class that made her change her majors as soon as she could. 

“Ceramics is my favorite part of art,” she said. “I really enjoy throwing on the wheel; unfortunately, it just takes so much space. I don’t really get to do much throwing.”

She said she loves playing with clay and explains how it’s kind of like playing in mud. Although she really enjoys it, she also said the firing process is still a bit intimidating.

“Once you put it in the kiln,” she said, “you lose all control over it, whatever happens.”