Ceramics I

Final Reflection:

I am most proud of my slab box because I really enjoyed the whole process of making, learning, and designing it. I enjoyed learning how to form a box using slabs that we measured and cut, and how to bevel, slip, and score them so that they fit together seamlessly. My favorite part about this project was learning how to water etch, I thought it was such an intuitive way to create a design and alter the surface of something. I hope to experiment more with it when I have the chance! Designing my box was super fun and I loved looking around at my classmates' boxes to get inspiration. I ended up doing an ocean themed one, and it was really important to me to make the design symmetrical and simplistic. I also am proud of this project because I learned from it. The green background was actually not what I intended! I used the Light Green(LG-42) glaze thinking that it would look the same as another project I had used it on, which came off as more of a blueish color. However, when it came out of the kiln it was a very vibrant green! I was sort of sad to see because I was excited for it to look all put together, but I’ve grown to be ok with it, I think it’s eye-catching. There are two projects that really impacted how I thought about ceramics and its origins. Both the smoke fired form project and the Pueblo project taught me how ceramics and pottery is an ancient practice, and how it connects to multiple different cultures all over the world. The smoke fired form project taught me how the art of ceramics can be and have been practiced in so many different ways. Firing our forms in an open fire pit allowed me to go back in time and visualize how artists used to create their pieces and connect with them throughout the whole process. The Pueblo research taught me how different groups of people stayed connected and sustained their communities through art forms like ceramic. They crafted their pots for functionality, and designed them to convey a message of their culture. I thought this was a beautiful way to view ceramic pieces and tried throughout the semester to put meaning into my pieces. In regards to my initial thoughts and goals, I would like to believe that I accomplished everything I wanted to. Even though the semester flew by, I was still able to meet my goals of organization, inspiration, and creation. I used my calendar fruitfully and always wrote down when I had an assignment due or when I needed to go in for clipper time. I wrote in my initial thoughts that I draw inspiration from the outdoors often, and I feel like that is reflected in many of my pieces, often using the ocean as my muse. I also stated that just generic observations of my surroundings and experiences inspire me and so I tried to capture that in a couple pieces as well. We did not get to throw on the wheel but we did get to make a mug, two actually, which was something I wanted to do. Overall this was a great semester and I loved learning more about the art of ceramics.

Initial thoughts:

While all art forms are connected in their own way, there are some things about ceramics specifically that make it similar or different from other types of art. Like many other art forms, ceramics can be a form of expression, whether that be for conventional use, decorative, or ritualistic. Perhaps unlike other forms of art, ceramics gives you a unique opportunity to work with a multitude of earth-made materials of all textures, colors, and capabilities; this gives you an opportunity for individual connection, not only to yourself, but the earth, exploring the relationship between the two. Some things I will do to keep myself organized this semester are writing down due dates in my calendar, checking in with Mrs. Houston about assignments, asking questions when I want to know more, and asking for help when I need it. All of these things will help me stay organized and enjoy this class infinitely more. The outdoors have always been a big inspiration for me, I enjoy spending time outside and always take a moment to appreciate my surroundings. There is a variety of textures, species, behaviors, colors, and interconnections within nature and its attributes. A more broad inspiration for me is(generic)observance, the things I see or feel daily. How people interact with each other, the structure of a room, how different emotions arise, or how the sun hits the water. There is a wide range of inspiration that just comes from observance of your present surroundings. I would like to make a mug this semester, I have a couple of different ideas for what I could create. I would also like to, if possible, get to throw on the wheel. I have always enjoyed using the wheel and I would be thrilled to learn more about it.