As a BFA major, I have chosen to make ceramics my focus. I gravitate towards working on the potter's wheel because working with the clay and trying to understand how it behaves takes a great deal of focus. That focus can become an escape for me. I dedicate myself to my pottery as I transform it from a lump of wet clay to a fine piece of tableware or a beautiful decorative vessel. It is important to me that my work be highly refined. To obtain this, I put a strong emphasis on developing my skill with a focus on craftsmanship. I not only want my ceramics to look beautiful, but also be well made and stand the test of time.
In addition to being an escape for me, working with clay just makes me happy. When I mention that throwing clay on the potter’s wheel is what I love doing, many say something like, “Man, I’ve always wanted to try that but I’ve never gotten around to it.” So, sometimes I seize an opportunity to share my knowledge and skill so that they too can proudly enjoy cereal from a bowl made by their own hand. It makes me happiest to see their reactions as they learn something new, fun, and challenging before going back to their own daily grind.
While I enjoy making functional pottery with the use of traditional glazes, I have also taken an interest in some alternative forms of firing pottery, and this is the focus for my senior show. Raku horse hair, sawdust firing, and Raku firing are all methods that render pottery more decorative than functional. I tend to find traditional glazing methods more predictable; while not a negative quality, it is the UN-predictability of these alternative methods that piques my interest. I am intrigued by the idea of guiding my pottery to a point in the process, but then leaving the final look of the piece to chance.
In addition to being an escape for me, working with clay just makes me happy. When I mention that throwing clay on the potter’s wheel is what I love doing, many say something like, “Man, I’ve always wanted to try that but I’ve never gotten around to it.” So, sometimes I seize an opportunity to share my knowledge and skill so that they too can proudly enjoy cereal from a bowl made by their own hand. It makes me happiest to see their reactions as they learn something new, fun, and challenging before going back to their own daily grind.
While I enjoy making functional pottery with the use of traditional glazes, I have also taken an interest in some alternative forms of firing pottery, and this is the focus for my senior show. Raku horse hair, sawdust firing, and Raku firing are all methods that render pottery more decorative than functional. I tend to find traditional glazing methods more predictable; while not a negative quality, it is the UN-predictability of these alternative methods that piques my interest. I am intrigued by the idea of guiding my pottery to a point in the process, but then leaving the final look of the piece to chance.