Eric Yake Kenagy Visiting Artist Endowment

For his ninth birthday, Eric Kenagy’s only wish was for a potter’s wheel. He had begun working with clay at age 8 through a short series of classes each winter at the Corvallis Arts Center (Oregon). The classes stopped at age 10, and he did not resume work with ceramics until the 10th grade at Crescent Valley High School. He continued his interest in pottery through high school and spent long hours on the potter’s wheel.

During Eric’s studies at Goshen College (1984-1986), he expanded and refined his way of expressing himself in ceramics and was recognized as a gifted artist. He also began work with drawing, sculpture and painting.

His other main interest was philosophy. Long hours driving tractor on the family farm provided him with time to ponder the deep and perplexing questions about the meaning of human existence. J. Lawrence Burkholder, under whom Eric studied Moral Philosophy, called him “a philosopher in the truest sense.”

During his senior year in high school, he found drama a satisfying means of expression. He continued this interest in college. Though his roots were firmly anchored in the family farm which he loved, it is not likely he would have made that his career, given his attraction to the arts, drama and philosophy.

In the fall of 1985, Eric went to China with Goshen’s SST program and looked forward to further international travel.

Eric died on August 9, 1986, at age 19, as the result of a bicycle-car accident. He was loved by many friends who knew him as a sensitive and gentle person with a good sense of humor. He would not tolerate artificiality. He cared about those who experienced discrimination, including the poor and the exploited.

Goshen College provided a stimulating and nurturing place for Eric to grow and learn in these important years of his life. He occasionally spoke of his wish for greater resources in the Art Department, where he was planning his major. The Kenagy family hope that the Visiting Artist Program will provide one means of enriching students and faculty, and. that the Program may also at times reflect Eric’s interest in drama, philosophy and cross-cultural experiences.