Sydney Bocknek

Clay and powder collide in the life of Ceramics student and Concordia Ski and Snowboard Club member Sydney Bocknek.

Fun fact: I love Winter!

Favourite thing about Concordia: The Concordia Ski and Snowboard Club.

Why Concordia?

I chose Ceramics at Concordia because of the state-of-the-art facilities, large variety of classes and opportunities to fully expand my practice as an artist.

What has been your best university experience?

I have been an executive member of the Concordia Ski and Snowboard Club (CSSC) for the last four years. It’s the absolute best way to spend your winter in Montreal. Every weekend, the club loads up coach buses in front of the Hall Building early Sunday mornings, and we get to shred all over the province and even Vermont! My favourite university experience was the Jay Peak Weekender Trip or the Quebec City trips with the CSSC. I have met so many of my closest friends through these experiences, seen much more of Quebec and enjoyed nature in the winter for a super affordable price.

What does campus life look like for you?

My daily life consists of either taking the Metro or a Bixi to campus. Bixi is Montreal’s city bike sharing service, which are accessible throughout the city and have several docks on campus. Montreal is very accessible compared to many major cities. Most of the downtown Sir George Williams Campus buildings are connected underground directly to the metro, keeping you nice and warm during the winter months.

For a full-time student in Ceramics, you will typically be taking between 2-3 Art History classes, 2-3 Studio Arts classes (ie: ceramics, sculpture, print media, etc.) or electives to fill your time. In this program, be ready to spend plenty of time in the studio outside of class time to work on your projects! Outside of class time, I spend most of my time fabricating in the studio. On weekends, you'll find me shredding the mountains and filming clips with the Concordia Ski and Snowboard Club!

What projects are you proud of in your time here?

Over the past year, I have been testing different minerals within my clay to achieve different surface reactions. My sculptures are uncanny and a bit strange, blending the human and animal form together, inspired by folklore within my culture. I work to tell a story without words, creating conversation, questioning decisions and helping others discover their own story through mine.

How have you gained experience outside of your classes?

Professional internships are important for gaining experience in the workforce as an artist. Over the summer, I worked in prosthetic fabrication, prop making and makeup at a film and television studio in Toronto. I gained many valuable technical skills such as mold making, sculpting, fabrication, painting and seaming in a professional environment surrounded by some of the best artists in the industry. With the guidance of a professor, I was able to get credit for this experience at Concordia through documentation of my projects and key skills.

What was it like moving to a French-speaking city?

Moving to Quebec I was worried about knowing no French at all, but Concordia and Montreal are very accessible for non-French speakers. Most people in urban areas speak English, and the university offers introductory level French Classes for those looking to learn!

Want to pick up some new language skills at Concordia? Discover your options to  succeed in French!