Lowell Vann, a treasure of the Samford faculty, received the Buchanan Award a few weeks ago during our opening convocation. One of his colleagues, Robin Snyder, managed to snare this message that Dr. Vann received from one of his former students and pass it along to me:
"I think often of the summer you taught me pottery and so kindly gave me the run of the ceramics studio. Not only did you teach me so much about art, you taught me about myself. I was in the middle of probably the hardest time in my life and something about centering clay helped me center myself again. I don't think I ever made a pot that was gallery worthy, but the process of wedging and centering was the best thing that could have happened to me that summer. You teach a wonderful craft with such joy and enthusiasm."
The world is better because of Lowell Vann.