Final Reflection
Of which in-class project (Pinch Pots, Coil Pot, Slab Project, Artist Inspired) are you most proud? Why? Please explain and be specific. What did you learn from doing this project (about yourself as an art maker and/or about the technical process of working with clay)?
The project I am most proud of from this class is probably the multiple pinch project. I am not often proud of the things I create, and this is no exception- there are still many things that would have to be changed for this piece to be something I am genuinely proud of. But, I think it is the one that I like the most out of the things I made so far in this class. This is one of the first forms I made, and it taught me a lot, mostly through trial and error, such as the through the lobotomy I had to give the form for it not to explode, which I am thankful for. I also learned that underglaze is much more effective for details, where colored glazes melt together and muddy any sharp lines made. Generally, I am pleased with the translation of my 2D work into a 3D form, and I feel that is is effective at eliciting the emotions I want it to. These emotions mostly consist of "Oh, this is a monkey". Although it also elicits in me the remembrance of one of my friend's dog, Rico, or perhaps a baby on the precipice of a particularly tall couch. I am anticipating having it in my room with joy.
How has taking this class changed the way you think about ceramics? This could include your own art-making, how you appreciate art, and/or how you might look differently at art in the world around you.
This class has majorly changed how I view ceramics. It's much harder than I thought to paint intricate details when you have one layer to work with, and I have a greater respect for anyone who uses this medium. It is also a unfortunate tactile exercise, in my personal opinion. Having the moisture sucked out of my hands every second I touch the clay is not my favorite thing. On that note, I have learned that while ceramics is a lot fun, it is probably not something I am going to want to continue into my adult life. I am looking forward to learning more and creating more, but this is not going to be a major part of my career. This is a first step in being prepared to teach ceramics if I have to, if I become an art teacher. However, I think I will stick to the core curriculums, or maybe just English.
What recommendations would you make for ways that the class could be improved (please don’t worry about hurting my feelings- artists learn from, and expect, constructive criticism).
One of the things that made this class a little stressful was the lack of funding for the arts department. I've been worried all year about using or wasting clay, which I think is good for utilizing resources well in some ways, but also made it difficult for me to want to use materials. This was most prevalent in the amounts of clay remaining for use, and the glazes used on many projects. The budget provided should be accounting for the artistic goals of a student, especially as ceramics is a popular elective with a prerequisite, meaning that its students are not only interested in the subject, but so many students are interested that the classes are very full, which requires more material use. I realize this is not in your control, but maybe you can use my comment to help show the school board they need to increase the budget or something like that. Also, I wish the room had better ventilation, it feels like I'm breathing in a lot of dust when I'm working at the tables, but I could have just worn a mask and I chose not to, which is why I'm mentioning it last as it is an unfair complaint.