Hot does not only describe the weather in Gainesville this summer, it's also an acronym for one UF student-organization.
Hand-built or thrown clay, more commonly known at H.O.T Clay, is also the name of a group of UF ceramic majors whose mission is to increase awareness for ceramic arts.
The group was responsible for splashing the Reitz Union colonnade with color Tuesday and Wednesday for its ceramic artwork sale.
Featuring decorative art pieces such as plates, teapots and mugs, the sale was the first-ever summer sale for the organization that usually holds sales in the fall and spring semesters.
All of the pieces in the sale were made by UF students and can take up to a few weeks to create, said Sara Marraffino, treasurer for the group and a fourth-year ceramics major.
"We have a make-a-thon in the fall where we sit and make pieces until we can't anymore," said Ashley Neukamm, a fourth-year ceramics major.
Fifty percent of the proceeds from each sale go to the student-artist, and the rest is used by the group to fund lectures by professional artists and conference expenses.
The pieces ranged from $12 for items like plates and mugs to $100 for large sculptures.
Jennifer Cavaretta, an incoming student who was visiting UF for preview, said she was impressed with the detail of the pieces.
"I hope to come back for either a vase or a blue salt-and-pepper shaker I liked," she said.
Although the summer sale ended Wednesday, H.O.T Clay will host another ceramics sale in the fall.
