Ceramics I

Final Reflection:

The project that I am the proudest of is my narrative slab mug. I really enjoyed the story that I told in this piece and the color combinations that I chose. When I was carving away at the mountains, I needed to make sure that there was a difference in the dimensions. I wanted that 3-Dimensional look, and I achieved it. At first, I was unsure of the color combinations I used on the van and road but overall the final results came out very well and complimented each other. I think the detailing on the van and handle brings out the story detailing. I probably could have done a little more detail in the sky, like adding clouds, but other than that I am pretty proud of the final results.

To me, the most interesting project that we worked on was the Pueblo pots, even though I wasn’t extremely happy with the outcome of the process of making them. Learning about the history behind them was very interesting. I love learning about different cultures around the world and the story behind them. One interesting thing I learned from watching the video prior to starting this project was that it is normally a family business, and that cedarwood is the only wood that is used during firing. I think that learning about the past traditions helped us better understand the designs that we could potentially choose from.

Looking back on the goals that I set for myself at the beginning of the semester, I can see that I met them. I turned in my assignments when I was told to, and when I was absent I made sure I took the time outside of class to catch up and go above and beyond in my work. I also noticed that I used multiple different textures and methods in my work. I used different glazing techniques and patterns throughout each piece of work that we did. I am so glad that I went outside of my comfort zone and chose to challenge myself by trying new things on each individual piece of work. I think that I had a pretty successful semester of ceramics, and I am looking forward to taking another ceramics class in the future.

Thoughts and Goals:

With ceramics, you get more hands-on time with your art. You can determine how it looks from any perspective, meaning you can change the texture, shape, color, and more. It is also very peaceful to just be in your own world when making your art pieces.

My goals for this class are to take more time to focus my mind on my artwork, and to make sure I remember to click the turn-in button on Google Classroom. Seeing other people's artwork will inspire me to go above and beyond in my own work. It will inspire me to be more creative with what designs, methods, and textures that I use. During this class, I want to step out of my comfort zone and expand my knowledge with different art techniques. I know that this is a Ceramics II thing, but working with the wheels has always been something I've been interested in, the process has always been extremely satisfying to me. But regarding this semester and this course, I am honestly just excited for being able to be hands-on with the clay.