Artist Inspired

For our final project, we were allowed 3 pounds of clay. The assignment was to research an artist and make our own work inspired by their work. I decided to research Meghan Yarnell, a ceramics teacher who lives in Ohio. I was inspired by Meghan's use of nature in her work, so I decided to make three small plates and one large plate, each with its own floral design. At first, I wanted to make a set of just small plates, but I realized it was taking me too long and I decided to make one large plate along with the three small ones. I started by wedging my clay and rolling a thin slab. For the small plates, I used a tape roll as my template. For the larger plate, I used one of the many styrofoam templates in the classroom. Once I had my form made, I rolled thin coils to make a base for my plates, this way they won't roll when rested on the table. After letting all the plates dry completely, I used an assortment of tools to smooth and round out the edges of my plates. Next, I used multiple underglazes (Light red, medium blue, amethyst, and dark green) to make various different flowers. After firing I finished my plates with a clear glaze. I knew I wanted to make simplistic designs and I was very influenced by Meghan's use of color. I have always liked to make flowers and vines as designs when I work.

Overall, I really like how my plates turned out. This is probably my favorite project that I have done so far, and I am really proud of it. If I were to change one thing, I think I would change the bases of my plates. I wish I blended them into the plate to make it look more seamless.

Artist research presentation- https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/155ipbOng_BdM1zWfOa1MweJDasbc-jP8OCY8QJHydJY/edit#slide=id.p