Students and faculty walking through the VTSU Castleton Fine Arts Center these days will see a ceramic display that traveled a long way. 

The display showcases the work of student artist Anita Williams, who created the pieces of art in Seoul, South Korea, where she studied abroad for the spring semester.

“It was an amazing experience, from the different cultures to the language. I miss it and would recommend going,” Williams said with a smile. 

Williams talked about the culture being very different from here. While the art was different, there was also the language. The language was tough to overcome with her inability to speak Korean fluently. 

What helped with that were the people she surrounded herself with. They knew more of the language than she did and they were able to find people to surround themselves with. This allows them to understand and better get involved with the culture there, she said.

The display in the Fine Art Center includes many pieces of ceramic artwork designed around the idea of the ancient period of Asia. 

“I have always loved the ancient forms of artwork from the culture of Asia,” Williams said. 

Her fascination for art in general started when she was younger and developed more as she got older. Her skills became even more diverse and better when she went to Korea and was able to learn about the different techniques and cultures built around art.

Some of Williams’s work is inspired by the period of the Goryeo Dynasty. Her piece from this era was a flat bottle with a mint color slip and she used the sgraffito technique to create the bird design. This was one of the many techniques she learned while developing skills studying abroad.

“While there are three main types of clay, the one used on the white and blue tiger is porcelain,” Williams said. 

This beautiful work of art was centered around the Joseon period, she said. With the nice glaze around the vibrant blue and white color, Williams created a Tiger, lowering itself on its front paws and having the rear end of the piece higher in the air. 

“The hand-building of art while studying in Korea made me want to explore those sections more and better my skills while developing more as an artist,” Williams said. 

Williams said studying abroad in South Korea allowed her to open up to new cultures and explore the art skills she loved.

“The average person does not make anything like this. The time and skill that it takes to make a piece of art like this is hard and takes lots of practice and many forms of education,” said freshman Chris Wronowski, who is taking art classes in the Fine Arts Center. 

Many students notice the work displayed, whether they go in and have classes there or they are just in there for other events. 

“The display is well-organized and presented. The colors popped out to me and made it more attention-grabbing,” said Jashon Holmes, a junior taking an art class in the Fine Arts Center. 

He noticed the work while strolling through but said he had never explored the section. When looking deeper into the exhibit Holmes decided that the flat bottle was his favorite piece. 

“I like the design and how much attention to detail was put into just a small bottle. I also like how until I read about it, I did not fully understand the concept or what it was exactly, it made me learn something new” Holmes said. 

“Going to Seoul, South Korea was an amazing experience. I would recommend it to anyone who asks,” Williams said.