Hand-made architectural pieces filled Fireside Hall at Contra Costa College, where local volunteers gathered during the mornings of Dec. 2-5 for the annual Ceramics Sale.

For four consecutive days, the fine and media arts department sponsored the fundraising efforts for the department.

The annual ceramics fundraising event has been held at CCC in December since the mid-80s.

The event sells student and volunteer creations that help pay for various art supplies for students, volunteer Eddie Mure said.

Many students cannot afford the cost of supplies, so the event offers a path for students to access supplies required for their classes.

The fine and media arts department provides a wide scope of classes with courses that include Art History, Drawing, Painting, photography, sculpture and media expressions.

Volunteer artist Linda Lewis said the event also enables students at CCC to exhibit their work.

Lewis said it was “rewarding” to see her pieces displayed and purchased.

“It was exciting to see someone buying my things,” she said.

Volunteer artist Janet De Haven said making these design pieces is a long way from simple and modest.

“Each glaze takes approximately one hour,” De Haven said. “Buying the material is expensive in itself.”

Many of the pieces at the event utilized a ceramic covering as well as a concrete coating to give a costly and usable surface for a potential purchaser, De Haven said.

Ceramic coating is a covering that can serve to shade, enhance or waterproof an item.

Bowls, cups and plates were among the few artistic pieces being sold at the gala.

Attendees could even take home some of their favorite pieces through the daily silent auction.

Winners were announced at 2 p.m. daily.

Offers were composed on a sheet of paper that was set close to the piece and the highest bidder took possession of the artwork toward the end of each day’s showing.

The department tries to teach students about the creation of art and digital media and enable them to express themselves artistically.

The art department is now arranging next year’s event with expectations of incorporating an assortment of art pieces with the cooperation of different departments in the Liberal Arts Division, Mure said.