Michael Hoffman is one of those artists.

“I have pieces I’ve thrown on a potter’s wheel, and I’ve glazed those,” said Hoffman, who owns his own studio in Rogers City, called Slug Bug Pottery.

He was a high school art teacher for 20 years in Northville, and he’s taking a ceramics class to stay certified as an art teacher.

“I just want to get better as an artist, and try new things,” Hoffman said. “The clay pieces are my canvas.”

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Shannon Hancock works on a photography piece depicting mental health struggles.

Hoffman started as an ACC student in 1986, out of high school, and he is thoroughly impressed with how far the facility has come.

“When I walked into here, I was impressed by the facility, the equipment, the teachers,” he said. “Really high-quality. It’s kind of a hidden gem. It really is kind of on a university level.”

Daphnie Hancock is a Design I student. She was working on a false shadow structure on Tuesday.

“In Design I, taught by Jason Pemberton, at this point we’re doing 3D models,” Hancock said, showing off the design rendering and then the model itself. “I’m making a large-scalee visual rendering of a false shadow.”

She explained that “the consumer’s footprint is using a false shadow throughout the entire theme, that creates the suggestion that these large structures that we fill up cities with, skyscrapers, are claiming the environment and leaving very little for natural wildlife and plants.”

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Simon List works on a piece in ceramics class at ACC.

Kyley LaFleche and Nelson French were molding clay on Tuesday in Ceramics I, taught by Joe Donna.

“He teaches us different methods,” French said. “Right now, what we’re working on is a slab method. So, you roll the clay out like this and then kind of form it into whatever you need.”

LaFleche said they were making a teapot and teacups that will be “funky, but cool.”

She said first they form the clay, then they fire it, then they glaze it, then they fire it again.

Simon List was working on the wheel.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Kyley LaFleche holds a piece she made in ceramics class at ACC. The piece features the coil technique. Her work will be on display Friday through Dec. 17 at the ACC Fine Arts Center.

He created a creepy cool coil piece that he described as a “spikey creature.” You’ll have to come to the show to see it in person.

List enjoys Ceramics class because “it’s like a nice hobby.”

Shannon Hancock was working in the photography room.

“I’m doing a series on trauma, depression and healing,” she said.

Professors and students alike are looking forward to Friday’s show.

“It’ll be good to have a show after having a hiatus,” Donna said. “The students all did a great job. It will be a nice show. Hopefully we have a good turnout.”

“There will be live music,” added Professor Brian Schorn. “By a business student and an ACC faculty member. And there will also be fancy desserts by Chef Reid (Krebs). They sound quite delectable. We will also have hot coffee and cider.”

ACC Fine Arts Students participating in the show include Makayla Armstead, Monroe Baldwin, Martha Beach, Emily Billinghurst, Alize Brown, Brett Budnik, Angela Burcar, Avery Burns, Savanah Chambers, Matthew Forbush, Nelson French, Seth Golson, Darbee Guyton, Allyn Hancock, Daphnie Hancock, Shannon Hancock, Amber Heiser, Isaac Hines, Michael Hoffman, Don Homant, Zoe Hoops, Noah Kindt, Kyley LaFleche, Alexis Lask, Simon List, Leo Maiolo, Brandan Miller, Ellie Mills, Katie Murphy, Xavier Rouleau, Melissa Schoolcraft, Marissa Seres, Nancy Smith, Kyle Stachnik, Lindsey Tuomela, Andrew Van Vlerah, James Williams, and Charlie Wood.