This class is a continuation of ceramics 3610 and 3620. It is an exploration of advanced work in throwing, hand-building, firing, and special topics with emphasis on individual artistic expression. It is to aid in the development of one’s own artistic methodology and conceptual pursuits using the ceramic medium as a form of visual communication.

REQUIRED TOOL AND MATERIALS:

Sketchbook and a drawing implement. Always bring these to class.

Clay. Clay is available in the ceramic studio, but you must acquire a receipt from the cashier’s office in the student center. The price is listed on the board in the studio. You may expect to use at minimum two bags of clay.

Basic ceramic tool kit found at the SUU Bookstore or online.

Items not available in the basic kit that you will need include:

• A dust mask with cartridges (mandatory)
• A serrated rib
• Various watercolor or Chinese calligraphy paint brushes
• A small plastic container with a lid, such as a recycled yogurt or ice cream container.
• A large container for throwing (such as a one-gallon bucket).
• A small towel.
• An apron (if you do not want to get clay on your clothes)
• Various carving tools
• An x-acto Knife

Recommended supplementary tools: Surform tool, small carving tools. Online sources to order tools are: Mudtools, Tacoma Clay Art Center, Georgie’s Ceramic Supply. There are many.

Resource Materials (textbooks and journals)

• Creative Pottery: Innovative Techniques and Experimental Designs in Thrown and Handbuilt Ceramics, by Deb Schwartzkopf
• Functional Pottery, by Robin Hopper
• The Complete Guide to Mid-Range Glazes: Glazing and Firing at Cones 4-7, by John Brit
• The Ceramics Bible Revised Edition, by Louisa Taylor
• The Essential Guide to Moldmaking and Slipcasting, by Andrew Martin
• Mold Making for Ceramics, by Donald E. FrithP
• Extra / Ordinary: Craft and Contemporary Art, Edited by Maris Elena Buszek

Ceramic Journals:

• CERAMIC REVIEW
• CERAMICS ART AND PERCEPTION
• CERAMICS MONTHLY
• CERAMICS TECHNICAL
• NEW CERAMICS

This class emphasizes clay as a creative art material. Students learning outcomes are:

• 1. Students will demonstrate their own artistic vision and methodology through a highly focused course of study.
• 2. Students will practice integrative, critical, and creative thinking skills by articulating their intentions and ideas in critiques and written form with their artist statement.
• 3. They will demonstrate their understanding of the creative process and how to apply it to future bodies of work.
• 4. They will begin or complete an individual portfolio with documentation and exhibition of their artistic pursuits.
• 5. They are expected to participate in end of term clean-up

This course is designed as an ‘Intensive’ study in Throwing and/or Hand-building practices and put you on the path to independent study for 4620. There is a list of projects for your choice of technique - throwing or Hand-building. No matter the technique you choose to pursue, you will be required to fulfill the Glaze formulation and testing project which will be ongoing throughout the semester. Advanced students are required to fire all their own work and are responsible for their own glazes (although you may use the studio glazes). You will need to load all your own work. If it is put on the community bisque shelves, I will not load it into a kiln for you. If you require assistance, please do not hesitate to ask. You may also use work from the community bisque shelves to help you fill your kiln.

HOMEWORK: As this is an advanced course, you will be required to work outside of class time. I would expect 6 hours a week, but most likely more.

PARTICIPATION: Each student is required to participate in critiques, kiln loading, and the end of term clean up as part of the curriculum. Completing or not completing these tasks will impact your grade.

ASSESSMENT/GRADING: Grades are based on specific assignment criteria regarding technique, craftsmanship, design and conceptual development, explained in written and verbal form at the introduction of each assignment. Supplementary slide shows and technical demonstrations will help further your idea development and working skills.

I will use this Rubric for each of your individual projects:

Grading Criteria
Each Project will be assessed using the following metric:

• 1. Craftsmanship: this constitutes an understanding of the technique and intention. Pieces are made of a consistent thickness and desired shape. Rough and sharp edges are attended to.
  Points: 1 to 25
• 2.Effort and Performance: The work shows effort. Perhaps the first attempt was unsuccessful, but the final piece was achieved through multiple variations or attempts. Class time was used wisely and out of class time was effective. The work was not produced last minute.
  Points: 1 to 25
• 3. Surface Treatment: Evidence of consideration given to the glazing and overall look of the work. Attempted several approaches to decorating with slips, underglazes and glazes.
  Points: 1 to 25
• 4. Followed all Requirements Outlined in the Project: Addressed all aspects requested in the assignment. Due dates were met, and critiques were attended and participated in.
  Points: 1 to 25

(25 is most successful, 1 is least successful)

It is expected that all pieces will be finished and glazed at the end for your final critique. Unglazed pieces constitute unfinished work and can receive no better than a “D”. It is expected that students will pay attention to glaze demos and invest as much in design and craftsmanship in the finishing as in the building. If pieces are glazed in a haphazard manner your grade will be affected negatively.

I will give you an “in-process” grade after each critique. This grade is simply to give you feed-back of how you are performing in class. It is not a final grade. I cannot give you a final grade until all your work is fired and completed, and in this course that may not happen until the week of finals. This means your “in-process” grade may go up or down quite substantially.

If a piece gets lost or broken or dries out too much to work on it is your responsibility and you may have to re-make the piece.

Last wet clay day April 3rd!!!
This means no joining clay, trimming, carving or anything that entails constructing a piece.
Because you are responsible for your own firings, this date may or may not apply. Just note, that kilns will be prioritized according to the instructors needs.

FINAL CRIT/EXAMINATION OF WORK:

DO NOT MISS THIS! IT IS YOUR FINAL EXAM. SCHEDULE ANY DEPARTURES AFTER THIS FINAL.

The Final exam date for this class is Tuesday April 21st from 3 pm to 4:50 pm. Attendance at the final exam time is mandatory. Schedule any departures after this date!!!

Studio Clean-Up and Work Policies

April 15th is MANDATORY STUDIO CLEAN-UP DAY: The last day of regularly scheduled class.

All work to be fired must be FINISHED AND SIGNED or it will get tossed.

ALL WORK MUST BE CLAIMED BY LAST DAY OF EACH TERM, AFTER THIS DAY IT WILL BE THROWN AWAY. WE SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE ROOM TO STORE WORK.

LOCKERS MUST BE EMPTIED BY THE LAST DAY OF THE TERM.

PROJECTS: See below for a list and calendar of projects for either the throwing intensive or the hand-building intensive.

List of Projects: Hand-Building Intensive

Project 1: Binary / Dichotomy
Binary / Dichotomy – In critical theory, a binary opposition (also binary system) is a pair of theoretical opposites. A simplified example of this is hot and cold - words or ideas that define what the other is not. Dichotomy is also another closely related word to binary. Dichotomy is defined “a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different: a rigid dichotomy between science and mysticism.” Develop work that embodies this idea or plays with opposite concepts. Think ‘Nature’ and ‘Technology’ or ‘wild’ and ‘domestic’.
To start, pick an object you find interesting. Or pick a concept you find interesting and chose an object that represents your concept. Next figure out what its binary would be. Be aware of how your object communicates metaphorically. This will help in understanding what its binary may be. Next, pick two objects that embody the binary system you would like to use in your piece. Print out an image of both objects. Finally, devise (work out ideas in your sketchbook) a way to combine these images to create one form. You may use the slab and/or the coil method to make your piece. Your piece must be 15 inches in one dimension. You must do ‘to scale’ drawings and have them approved before you start.

Project 2: Re-iterate
For this project do one more iteration of the piece from project 1. This time around you must incorporate on non-ceramic material in the piece. The main part of the piece must be ceramic and must be 15 inches in one dimension.

Project 3: Human or Animal Form Narrative
For Project 3 you will have to make a human and/or an animal form that tells a narrative. You may use coils, slab, or solid forming. Your final piece must be 12 inches minimum in one dimension. To develop your narrative, you must select your favorite children’s story. Using this story as a baseline you must then weave your own personal, political, or social comment into the narrative of the forms you create.

Project 4 and project 5: Your choice
For the final two projects you are required to write a proposal of what you would like to make. You may use any technique you choose. I will help advise on what each project will be - meaning size, firing method and use of non-ceramic materials. Each piece should be large (as this is the focus of this semester). ‘To Scale’ drawings must be made and approved for the final two pieces.

Project 6: Glaze Testing and mixing
This project will be ongoing throughout the semester. You will learn to develop and mix a base glaze. After your initial base glaze is developed, you will then add colorants to your glaze through a series of colorant testing. We will work with cone 6 glazes and fire them in Reduction and Oxidation. You will be required to assist in firing the gas reduction kiln. This means we will need to fire it 2 times. No exceptions. We will set the firing dates as a group.

List of Projects: Throwing Intensive

Project 1: 10 Bowls
Project 1 is to throw 10 chili bowls with a trimmed foot. Each bowl should be made with a minimum of 1.5 lbs. of clay.

Project 2: 10 Mugs
Project 2 is to throw 10 mugs ALL with a pulled handle. Start by playing with a few forms. Once you have found a form you like, you must replicate that form and handle for your 10 mugs. Your grade will be assessed on throwing the forms even, how well the handle is pulled and how similar all the forms are grouped together.

Project 3: Plates
Throw 5 plates using 3 to 5 pounds of clay each. Each plate must have a trimmed foot.

Project 4: 2-Part Throwing
Project 3 is to throw 5 flowerpot forms using 2, 3 lb. balls of clay. Start by throwing the first form with a bottom, just as you would generally throw a 3 lb. flowerpot form. Next you must throw another piece to fit on top of the first form you made. It must be attached and then thrown to look as though you have made one form with 6 lbs. of clay. Finally throw a basin for each form.

Project 5: Multiple parts, One Form
Throw 3 forms composed of at minimum 3 parts. One part must be thrown with 3 pounds of clay, and the other two must be thrown with at minimum 1 pound of clay. Your forms may be containers (although a lid does not count as one of the parts), vase forms or sculpture. Your work will be assessed on the complexity of the thrown parts and the overall design of the form.

Project 6: Teapots
Throw six teapot forms. Each piece must have a thrown lid and spout with a pulled handle.

Project 7: Glaze Testing and mixing
This project will be ongoing throughout the semester. You will learn to develop and mix a base glaze. After your initial base glaze is developed, you will then add colorants to your glaze through a series of colorant testing. We will work with cone 6 glazes and fire them in Reduction and Oxidation. You will be required to assist in firing the gas reduction kiln. This means we will need to fire it 2 times. No exceptions. We will set the firing dates as a group.

Meeting deadlines is crucial to a successful outcome, failure to do so will affect your grade negatively.

Because this is a Face-to-Face studio course it mandates you be in the studio to accomplish your projects for the class. Attendance is crucial to doing well in this course. Therefore, there is an attendance policy - if you miss class more than one quarter of the class sessions you cannot receive better than a C-. For this class that would amount to 7 absences. This is the Art and Design policy. If you have an emergency or are sick, please contact me via email and we can make accommodations. You must be present in the studio for at least half of the class for it to count as being present.

However, I have determined that if your grade can be affected by too many absences, then it should be rewarded if you have zero absences. Thus, I will raise your grade by 5% if you make it all the way through the semester without missing one class session.

Zoom Sessions:
This is strictly a Face-to Face course. I am not going to live stream the class on Zoom. However, I am going to use Zoom to record the demonstrations for anyone who has missed class or would like to review the content, because it is not possible for me to repeat demos. You may review the videos in the recorded Zoom sessions on Canvas.

Your course fees cover the cost of glaze, slips, firing and studio tools and upkeep.

The Ceramics studio will be open outside of scheduled class times. The door is unlocked from 8am to 5pm. After which, students can access the room with their ID cards and can work until 11:30. To stay longer you need to acquire an after-hours permit.

If you wish to use the studio during a regular class session, you must seek the permission of the instructor. Work time during another class is a privilege, not a right; it is based on available space and the prerogative of the instructor. If you are disruptive, you may be asked to leave.

Work in clay is demanding of your attention and your time. Therefore, we do everything in our power to provide you with as much access to the studio as possible.