This class is a continuation of ceramics 4610 and 4620. It is an exploration of advanced work in throwing, hand-building, firing, and special topics with emphasis on individual artistic expression. It is specifically designed for each student to complete work for the BFA Exhibition and prepare for a career upon graduation. 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.

This course is designed as an independent study, and this term we will focus on creating work to be shown in your BFA Exhibition. As Advanced students, you are required to fire all of 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.

Resource Materials (textbooks and journals)

• Functional Pottery, by Robin Hopper
• Creative Pottery: Innovative Techniques and Experimental Designs in Thrown and Handbuilt Ceramics, by Deb Schwartzkopf
• 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 Mold Making Manual, by Jonathan Kaplin
• 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

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

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

Projects

You are responsible for designing your own course work with the aid of your instructor. You must submit a written proposal of the content and a calendar of due dates of completion of each project. Your proposal must be approved by the instructor.

Homework

As you will be the designer of your study and projects, you will be responsible ‘getting everything finished’. 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.

Grading will be based on the quality of your work. This includes effort, technical skill, creativity, progress, and completion of all proposed projects. Other factors that affect your grade are attendance, participation in class critiques cleaning your area after each day and the end of term clean-up. For the exact grading breakdown please refer to the assignment page of the emphasis you have chosen.

Grades are to be awarded under the following criteria: A-Superior work, initiative and originality (A+ =100) (A =93-99) (A- =90-92) B-Highly Satisfactory performance of assigned work (B+ =87-89) (B =83-86) (B- =80-82) C-Adequate/average performance of assigned work (C+ =77-79) (C = 73-76) (C- =70-72) D-Barely passing work (D+ = 67-69) (D = 63-66) (D- =60-62) F-Failing work (Below 60)

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

Notebook

Bring a notebook or sketchbook for note taking during lectures and demonstrations, it should contain idea development, drawings and images of inspirations.

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 !!!

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.

The final Exam for this course is scheduled for:

Wednesday, Aprill 22nd from 7 am to 8:50am.

Attendance at the final exam time is mandatory. Schedule any departures after this date!!!

Apri 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.

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

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”.

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.

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. 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.