Art is for everyone.

In recent weeks, Colorado Northwestern Community College hosted custom ceramics courses for the clients of Horizons Specialized Services.

Across several months, the classes saw many creative and colorful works by the students with the program, which works to provide opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities, as well as their families.

---

---

“Partnerships are at the heart of Colorado Northwestern Community College’s community programs,” said Sasha Nelson, CNCC dean of workforce education and economic development.

Teaching the class was instructor David Morris, a longtime proponent of arts in Craig, including writing, theater, and pottery.

---

---

Morris said that while there were different ways of working with students who have special needs, it was hardly difficult.

“I wouldn’t say it’s hard. You just come up with a project that people will enjoy trying,” he said. “We tried different things. We would do flat pieces and ornaments and things like that. We would do pinch pots to make something you could put a plant in.”

Moreover, Horizons clients took the process seriously.

“They didn’t just come in there and fool around with clay, there was always a specific project in mind,” Morris said. “They loved it, their adult sponsors loved it, and everybody made something.”

Morris credited Nelson with helping arrange the class with Horizons.

“She’s really the instigator, in a positive way,” he said. “It’s a great thing to do for these people and the community.”

Though there’s not a concrete time for when the college will do a similar project, Morris said he hopes to do something by this summer.

“It’s not going to happen again right away, but down the road we absolutely will do it again,” he said. “I loved it. You could see how happy they were and enjoying it. They really feel like they’re part of the community and that’s how they should feel.”