Third Advanced Ceramics Essay
I haven't thought much of a theme this year, but if I had to choose I think it would be an extension of my previous theme: "Practical Aesthetics: Experimentation." I have been trying new things - glazes and patterns of such, shapes and techniques in creation of my pieces - and so far have liked where it's been going. Yet, at the same time, I have kept to the principles I've (almost?) always applied in Ceramics, in creating useable, working pieces that look pretty and could possibly stand as art, all at the same time.
Why
I've a love for learning, and that includes discovering new and possibly improved ways of doing something. I don't think you ever really stop growing in Ceramics; every time I enroll again, I learn something new. New techniques to throw better, more efficient ways of cleaning up, new ways to mix and match glazes and patterns from them. You keep learning, keep growing, and I bet even when you're a master, every so often you'll discover a nifty little trick, or come up with an idea on how to do something, that you'd never thought of before.
What
Bowls. Bowls and bowls and bowls. Big bowls, small bowls, wide bowls, deep bowls. Have I mentioned bowls?
Someone, I simply seem to gravitate towards bowl shapes. Most are actual bowls, but some are flatter and shallower, or taller pot-forms, or seeming mistakes where the top has flopped over.
Hmm... An idea there!
All sorts of bowls form from spinning the clay through my hands. I try and make them serviceable, and there are several that can be regularly seen with the "normal" dishes in the cupboard or dishwasher, and we make good use of them. Most, this year, are at least bi-colored, some tri-, quad-, or more-colored. Blues and greens are a favorite, with black or even white trimming. Accents are the norm, at the rim and base, with beautiful patterns sometimes to be seen as one glaze runs and mixes with its neighbor below. Footrings are also making a reappearance, though only where it seems they'd truly look good or when the base is simply too heavy; still, though, the tend to be deep with broad "shelves" (so we'll call them).
How
By throwing, of course. Silly. My methods have changed very little since I really got the hang of working with the wheel. I never "string" my projects anymore, preferring to let them dry and pop off on their own time. This allows me the option of simply trimming the base, as needed, or performing the more elaborate operation of carving out a decent footring. Perhaps my favorite personal trick is using the stick-tool to smooth the base and outer side of each project; it may not have an effect on glazing and be buried out of sight beneath it, but dang, if done right it can almost feel like silk, at least before it's bisqued.
I've made my share of mistakes, salvageable or not, and I've learned something from each one of them - even if it's only applicable at that time! Rims with bits broken or chipped off can lend the piece an air of age, if glazed right, or provide a cozy notch to hang your spoon between bites of cereal. I'm far from a master, but I do love working with clay and creating things that are both useful and, sometimes, beautiful.
Why
I've a love for learning, and that includes discovering new and possibly improved ways of doing something. I don't think you ever really stop growing in Ceramics; every time I enroll again, I learn something new. New techniques to throw better, more efficient ways of cleaning up, new ways to mix and match glazes and patterns from them. You keep learning, keep growing, and I bet even when you're a master, every so often you'll discover a nifty little trick, or come up with an idea on how to do something, that you'd never thought of before.
What
Bowls. Bowls and bowls and bowls. Big bowls, small bowls, wide bowls, deep bowls. Have I mentioned bowls?
Someone, I simply seem to gravitate towards bowl shapes. Most are actual bowls, but some are flatter and shallower, or taller pot-forms, or seeming mistakes where the top has flopped over.
Hmm... An idea there!
All sorts of bowls form from spinning the clay through my hands. I try and make them serviceable, and there are several that can be regularly seen with the "normal" dishes in the cupboard or dishwasher, and we make good use of them. Most, this year, are at least bi-colored, some tri-, quad-, or more-colored. Blues and greens are a favorite, with black or even white trimming. Accents are the norm, at the rim and base, with beautiful patterns sometimes to be seen as one glaze runs and mixes with its neighbor below. Footrings are also making a reappearance, though only where it seems they'd truly look good or when the base is simply too heavy; still, though, the tend to be deep with broad "shelves" (so we'll call them).
How
By throwing, of course. Silly. My methods have changed very little since I really got the hang of working with the wheel. I never "string" my projects anymore, preferring to let them dry and pop off on their own time. This allows me the option of simply trimming the base, as needed, or performing the more elaborate operation of carving out a decent footring. Perhaps my favorite personal trick is using the stick-tool to smooth the base and outer side of each project; it may not have an effect on glazing and be buried out of sight beneath it, but dang, if done right it can almost feel like silk, at least before it's bisqued.
I've made my share of mistakes, salvageable or not, and I've learned something from each one of them - even if it's only applicable at that time! Rims with bits broken or chipped off can lend the piece an air of age, if glazed right, or provide a cozy notch to hang your spoon between bites of cereal. I'm far from a master, but I do love working with clay and creating things that are both useful and, sometimes, beautiful.