1. Mug with Slip Splatter
Fall 2013
3.5 W x 4.5 H
Cone 10 reduction. Wheel thrown grey stoneware with shino glaze and colored slips.
Mug & Handle assignment, Intro to Ceramics
First introduction to design considerations of liquid-containing vessels. Demos and expectations of the student to consider ergonomics, design, foot, rim, and handle design/placement.
2. Pitcher & Cup Set
Fall 2013
Pitcher 6.5 W x 9 H, Cups 4.5 W x 7.5 H
Cone 10 reduction. Wheel thrown grey stoneware with yellow salt and dark green celadon glaze.
Pitcher/Bottle with 4 matching cups assignment, Intro to Ceramics
Students choose to make either a bottle or pitcher form. Pouring vessel must connect to cups in form, concept and/or surface. Set must be designed with specific beverage in mind, which is served to peers during critique.
3. Pitcher & Cup Set
Fall 2013
Pitcher 7.5 W x 11 H, Cups 7 W x 6 H
Cone 10 reduction. Wheel thrown and hand-built grey stoneware with temoku, shino and yellow salt glaze
Pitcher/Bottle with 4 matching cups assignment, Intro to Ceramics
4. Athens Cathedral
Spring 2014
18 L x 11 W 16 H
Cone 10 reduction. Wheel thrown, altered and assembled grey stoneware with shino, temoku glaze and slip.
Wheel Thrown Building assignment, Intro to Ceramics
For this final project of the semester, beginning wheel students are tasked with going out into town and choosing a building that they find either architecturally dynamic and interesting, or have a special and personal connection to. Students are required to come to the next class with sketches, photographs and birds-eye views of their chosen building. Using only wheel thrown parts that are then altered and assembled, students must create a miniature replica of their building that measures 12 inches minimum in the smallest dimension. Students are allowed to edit and tweak which details they choose to include and omit, but defining features and characteristics of the building are required to be included, causing students to evaluate which physical features do and don’t matter in the overall design and meaning of their chosen structure. Students are given the option to ‘interpret’ their finished sculpture based upon the purpose, meaning or context of their original chosen structure, but such interpretations must be considered and defended.
5. The Ridges Insane Asylum
Spring 2014
14 L x 10 W 12 H
Cone 10 reduction. Wheel thrown altered and assembled grey stoneware with shino, glossy black and liner white glaze.
Wheel Thrown Building assignment, Intro to Ceramics
6. ‘Shell & Basket’ Sprig Mold Project
Spring 2014
16 L x 10.5 W x 10 H
Cone 04 reduction. Sprig mold assembled and altered red earthenware with Bart’s Bronze glaze.
Sprig Mold Construction assignment, Beginning Handbuilding
Over the course of Spring Break, students are asked to collect a minimum of 10 small objects under 4 inches in size that they find conceptually or physically unusual and interesting. Students are then asked to choose one of these objects that they find particularly compelling and create a sprig mold of that object out of plaster. Students then are tasked with creating a sculpture that connects and relates conceptually to their small original object. Students must use the positive casts from the sprig mold as either the building blocks of the sculpture, or as the surface decoration of the sculpture. In critique, students must defend their choice of object and its conceptual connection to their final sculpture.
7. ‘Rope & Doll Vase’ Sprig Mold Project
Fall 2014
8 W x 13 H
Cone 10 reduction. Sprig mold assembled and altered grey stoneware with manganese wash and clear glaze.
Sprig Mold Construction assignment, Advanced Ceramics: Surface Embellishment
8. Alien Skull Study
Spring 2012
14 L x 10.5 W x 18.5 H
Cone 04 oxidation. Hand-built and carved red earthenware with sprayed white Rust-Oleum paint
Skull Anatomy assignment, Foundations 3D Studies
Two classes are spent with students on anatomy slide lectures and charcoal still life drawings from an example skull. Students are then sent home with the assignment of researching skull specimens, and t.o bring research photos from medical textbooks, museums, etc to class. Students are given a solid mound of clay and tasked with building a replica of their chosen skull, replicating scale, form, detail, etc. After firing, students were given allowance to finish or treat the surface in whatever material they chose. This particular example is from a freshman foundations student enrolled in 3D Design who had not previously worked with ceramics.
9. Body Blob
Spring 2014
25 L x 24 W x 42 H
Cone 10 reduction. Coil built and altered grey stoneware with temoku and turquoise glaze.
The Morphing Body assignment, Beginning Handbuilding
Students are tasked with creating a coil built sculpture, while responding to in-class discussions about the meaning of ‘Body’, both as an object moving through --and occupying-- space.
10. Miniature Plastic Skull Made Large
Fall 2014
10 L x 10 W x 16 H
Cone 04 oxidation. Hand-built and carved white earthenware with clear glaze and underglaze decorations.
“Mini/Big”-ature assignment, Advanced Ceramics: Surface Embellishment
Students are asked to bring in at least five small, interesting objects from home. Objects must be approximately the size of a tennis ball or smaller. After choosing one object to use, students must scale up that object via handbuilding techniques. Scaled-up clay object must be at least one foot in its smallest dimension. Surfacing and decoration must tell a linear narrative or story about the original object and its history.
11. Veronica as Idol
Fall 2014
5 L x 3 W x 6,5 H
Cone 04 oxidation. Slip-cast white earthenware with Lisa Orr clear glaze.
Slip-Cast Self Portrait Construction assignment, Advanced Ceramics: Surface Embellishment
Using a large collection of old commercial hobby molds, students must create a self portrait using only slip-cast components. Students are tasked with using cast pieces as building blocks, and are encouraged to use cast pieces in new and unconventional ways. Texture and 3D composition are discussed and students must defend techniques and conceptual decisions in crit.
12. Donna as Happy Plate
Fall 2014
13 L x 5 W x 10 H
Cone 04 oxidation. Slip-cast white & stain tinted earthenware with stain-tinted majolica glaze
Slip-Cast Self Portrait Construction assignment, Advanced Ceramics: Surface Embellishment
13. Pat as Tiki Pole
Fall 2014
12 L x 6 W x 10.5 H
Cone 04 oxidation. Slip-cast white & stain tinted earthenware with clear and stain-tinted glaze and underglaze decorations.
Slip-Cast Self Portrait Construction assignment, Advanced Ceramics: Surface Embellishment
14. Casey’s Secret
Fall 2014
9 W x 12 L
India Ink on Bristol Board
Pen + Ink Value assignment, Foundation Studies: 2D Surface
Using only pen & ink, students must create a final self-portrait using the techniques learned in the 2-week section on value. In addition to using techniques learned to create value, the student’s portraits must also reveal to the viewer secret that is unknown or hidden. Students must choose only one mark-making method: stippling, hatching, crosshatching, etc.
15. Value Study Triptych
Fall 2014
17 W x 14 L
Sharpie on Bristol Board
Mark Making for Value Studies, Foundation Studies: 2D Surface
In a field trip to the University Arts Library, students must find photographic portraits that display good range of values. Students must reduce the value into ‘zones’ of 3, 5, and 9 distinct shapes in 3 adjacent images. Using only one mark-making method for each image, students must render value differences in an ink + board triptych. Each value/shape grouping must use only one type of mark, but each image in the grouping must use a separate mark from the other two.
16. 10 minute Self-portrait
Spring 2012
18 W x 24 H
Compressed charcoal and conté crayon on rag paper
Figure Studies
Students must create a self-portrait under increasingly shortened time periods. Students start with a 45-minute study, and work their way down to a full-page portrait done in 15 seconds.
17. 3 Minute Circular Figure Study
Spring 2012
18 W x 24 H
Vine Charcoal on newsprint
Figure Studies
Students must render form and shape the body on paper using only a continuous circular hand motion. No angles or straight lines are allowed.
18. Trash Can & Chewing Gum
Spring 2012
15 L x 15 W x 24 H
Chewed gum, mini trash can, Mylar.
Connected Object as Surface assignment, Foundations 3D Studies
Students are asked to bring in an object at least 8 inches in its smallest dimension. Students are then tasked with forming a protective layer over the object using a material that is in polar opposite to the purpose or concept of their original object. In critique, students must defend their choice of object vs. material and their craftsmanship.
19. Spikey Teddy Bear
Spring 2012
9 L x 7 W x 12 H
Found teddy bear with thumbtacks and hot glue
Connected Object as Surface assignment, Foundations 3D Studies
20. Executive Coin Counter as Payphone
Spring 2012
Sharper Image coin counter with acrylic paint
Camouflaged Object assignment, Foundations 3D Studies
During class students are sent out into the art building and tasked with photographing areas that are ignored, unseen, or hidden. As homework, students are required to find and bring to class five objects that are at least 8 inches in their smallest dimension, and that somehow relate conceptually to one or more of the spaces that they have documented. They then must decide on a place/object pairing and, through any surface treatment available to them, blend their object seamlessly into its associated location. During critique, students must defend their object/place pairing and successfulness/skill of camouflaging their object.