Josh Goering, Double Major: BFA, Ceramics & Environmental Studies, '21

Q: When did you graduate from KU, and what was your Major/Minor?
A: "I graduated in 2021 with a double major in Ceramics and Environmental Studies. The emphasis on environmental concern instilled by my dual degrees continues to inform my practice."

Q: What have you been up to post-graduation?
A: "The summer that I graduated from K.U. I applied to STARworks in North Carolina for a studio intern position. STARworks is an Artist Residency for Ceramics and Glass that also has a clay-making facility using local North Carolina clay.
After my year-long internship ended, I returned to K.U. for a short period to put into practice what I had learned in North Carolina and prepare for applying to graduate school. I knew I wanted to go back to school because I wanted to continue being pushed by faculty and peers, and I felt like there was still a lot of learning and growing to do, even with the solid base I was standing on. Additionally, going to graduate school opens up opportunities I wouldn’t otherwise have, such as access to some residencies and the ability to teach on a college level.
I am currently in my final few weeks of graduate school at UNL. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here with my colleagues, students, and faculty mentors. Since being at UNL, I have shown work across the states, and I have been a resident artist in Maine at Watershed Ceramics and at UARK for the Consortium of Intercollegiate Research in the Ceramic Arts (CIRCA). I feel like my practice has grown significantly, and that I am on the right track to continue in the field."

Q. What would you like to share with current and future Visual Art students?
A: "School is the perfect place to push yourself to grow in ways that might feel a little uncomfortable. Don’t be afraid of trying on new ideas and new hats because you can always come back to your old ones, and oftentimes your original ideas will benefit from your explorations. Most importantly, if you are graduating, figure out a way to keep making, in your basement, a community studio, a residency, or continuing on into graduate school."