Thumbs Up

The thumb statue outside of Harder Hall caught my eye one day. I couldn’t believe that I had never noticed it before. After attempts to retrieve information about the thumb, I was unsuccessful. I could not find who made it or even when it was made. I would guess that it is made out of some type of clay, possibly terra cotta because of the color and texture. Terra cotta would also factor into the history of the town of Alfred.

This artifact is highly unique. It represents the creativity and imagination of the students here at Alfred University. The thumb could be just for viewing, or used as a seat or bird perch in a “pinch” (pun intended).

There are a variety of other permanent art installations around the Alfred University campus. Most are located around the center quad, near the statue of King Alfred. These pieces are interesting, well placed and professional looking. The thumb “sticks out” due to its “hand-made” qualities (puns again, intended and encouraged) and unexpected presence.

Discovering the thumb is almost like learning a little known secret. It is hidden away on the side of the building. Students enrolled in the School of Ceramics may be more aware to its existence because it is near the back entrance of the building, but to regular Liberal Arts and Sciences majors, the thumb is virtually unknown.