College is on every senior’s mind this time of year. For those interested in art, a visit by a Trinity alumnus may have provided some direction. Kendall Herdelin, a 2009 graduate, came back to Trinity to speak to seniors about what he decided to explore in college.
Herdelin spoke to Ms. Carole Baker’s Art III and AP Art IV classes. He’s a fifth-year student at the University of Louisville’s Hite Institute, which focuses on the arts. Herdelin’s calling is in ceramics (making objects out of clay and similar materials, covering them in special glazes, then firing them in a kiln) and has been since he was a student at Trinity.
“My senior year I remember being in the ceramics room all hours of the day,” Herdelin said. “Aside from art class, I would spend lunch and resource period in here. And then I would procrastinate in Ms. (Carole) Baker’s photography class just to work on the wheel.”
Herdelin is the only Trinity student to win an Award for Excellence in Ceramics at the annual awards day ceremony.
Herdelin is also studying graphic design, which includes the creation of concept art and logos for businesses. It’s “a whole different animal,” he said, and not his passion, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun.
“Design really tests your creativity,” he said. “You have to be able to think of things that no one else has thought of.”
Trinity’s Art III and Art IV classes are comprised entirely of seniors. Herdelin encouraged them to consider studying the arts, wherever they go. He acknowledged that studying art in college might not be the most attractive idea.
“Most of your parents might cringe at that idea,” Herdelin told the seniors. “But you should study what you like doing; that’s the most important thing.”
The seniors had questions for him. “Do you have a lot of classes outside of art?” AP student Mitchell Smith asked.
“Yes, everyone has to take gen eds (general requirements),” Herdelin said. “As a freshman, I hated it, but it really is useful because the more you know, the better off you are in life. And near the end, you’ll be takiing more classes specific to your major.”
“Have you gotten any sort of job opportunities?” senior Michael Gilligan asked.
“I haven’t really gotten much in ceramics, other than a few commissions,” Herdelin said. “It’s not exactly in the highest demand right now. Design, on the other hand, has given me a surprising amount of opportunity. People see designs I’ve made in the past and ask me to make things for them.”
One of Herdelin’s design assignments was so clever, he had to have it copyrighted. He created a mock restaurant, called Fleur Deli, along with a company logo and a full menu. The logo is a fleur de lis made out of eating utensils, and the menu featured salads and sandwiches typical to a deli shop.
“If you like challenging projects, graphic design is the way to go,” Herdelin. “Once you get a project, you have to do research on it, make guidelines for yourself, explore your design options by making a bunch of rough sketches, bounce you ideas off of people, refine your work, and then polish everything.”
Herdelin also explained what the Hite Institute does to help its students.
He said, “They’ll give you funds to help you travel, professors will help you balance your classes, and everyone just tries to help each other in any way they can. It’s a really fun place.”
Herdelin told the seniors that art might take more than four years to complete a degree.
“You’ve probably heard before that for every hour you spend in class in college, you should spend three hours outside of class studying. For art, that equates to three hours in the studio working on your art,” Herdelin said. “No one’s going to fly by and be an artist; it takes time and it takes effort, but if it’s what you love, then you should do it.”
