ceramics studio

I taught one period of the ceramics studio class at Central. Students can only take this class if they were able to pass the art foundations class. I met the ceramics students right before they'd start glazing their first project, nesting bowls. To make their nesting bowls, students first revisited the clay pinch technique from the sculpture unit in art foundations. Students were required to make three bowls that fit into each other, experimenting with form, texture, size and a theme of their choice. I taught students about underglaze, as well as varying glaze techniques.

Students learned how to roll out a slab using clay. Students were also introduced to varying sizes of plaster molds. Students were shown the different slump/hump plaster molds and were later taught how to smoothly and evenly drape a slab over the mold. For their project, students were required to make 2 bowls using different textures and glazing techniques. One of each students' bowls was made with the intention of being donated to Empty Bowls, a school charity event that feeds unhoused people. 

Students learned a multitude of coil techniques and were required to make a coil vessel with atleast 3 coil techniques of their choice, with a minimum of five inches in height.

Students were asked to reflect upon their daily, mundane routines and habits. Projects ranged from toobrush and toohpaste sculptures, to food sculptures, to shoe sculptures. Project requirements consisted of making their chosen habit as realistic as possible with the varying clay tool/texture techniques. 

Students were taught the very basics of wheel throwing and were asked to make as many pots/bowls/mugs/vessels as they could. Students did not have any requirements other than learning the wheel and being able to throw something evenly, visually pleasing, and functional.