This year in ceramics, not only have my projects improved but also my life threw the semester has impacted the projects as well. Over the past two years I been in ceramics 3 times. Each time
I have met a variate of different people, and seen so many beautiful projects its hard to say which one has been my favorite. I have had the same teacher as well, and she saw me as a freshman and then as a sophomore. I have been around her on my good days, and my bad. In ceramics you definitely have your good days and bad also. Days where I haven't even completed a project, and days where i have completed five. Throwing, footing, and glazing has just became a part of my day during the school year and having to say goodbye to it is going to definitely be hard. Next year I am starting a new journey at BC, where I will not be taking ceramics. Let alone an art class. And to out simply how I'm feeling... like crap is an easy way to put it. My theme for my first semester as an advanced student was "glass". This year my theme is something completely different, and a much bigger variation of topics and doesn't limit me to only being creative through glass. My theme this year is "simplicity vs. complexity". The whole thought process for this idea that i thought about was, I didn't just want to have to glaze with clear glaze and some pretty glass. I wanted to get creative with my glazes. Then the idea was spread to the fact that, maybe if i have 20 project with a simple shape, nothing special to them but the glaze people will really see how a complex glaze can change a boring project to something fascinating. You can mix two completely different colors and get something amazing. there is no certain number that you can mix together, its endless. there is no certain amount of water to add together So that's what i went for. I wanted started just mixing glazes in a bowl and some turned out and some didn't. I was very fascinated to the fact that the way a glaze can turn out looking, can depend on the weight, thickness, consistency, what its mixed with and how long its cooked for. I never got to actually mix glazes, even though i wish i could have. But i am very grateful as to fact that I have experienced with glazes Simplicity is complexe. My idea is that a simple project with a complex glaze? Thoughts?
My passion over the past semester of ceramics went from something that I just enjoyed doing, to the reason I come to school. The highlight of my day, you might call it. When asked what my theme was going to be, it took me a second. I wanted to say plain and simply "everything.. I don't really know Mrs. Heideman my project looks like everyone else's?" this was before Ariana shared her glass with me, and showed me porcelain . she started me on hand projects,, I then told her that "i wanted to throw with stuff" her response to me was carefully put at "I couldn't even do it Renee, good luck!" she doubted me and that is most likely why I tried so hard at it. The first bowl I made was beautiful. Before i realized how flimsy porcelain is, I broke it. So then again I tried harder. Long story short, it started something that was amazing to me. I loved it! and have yet to shake off the thrill of throwing porcelain and using glass. Im pretty sure every project since then has had glass in it, and been made out of porcelain . It was different and new, no one else used it (at that point in time). now everyone likes to.
Glass has been carefully placed on each and everyone one of my projects this year. The positioning of the glass, the color, and what its mixed with can greatly effect the outcome of a project. Porcelain is the best to use glass with because of how white it is when glazed. It draws direct attention to the bright, and viberent glass. I have made bowls, vases and lidded projects. They all have different shapes and sizes. the glaze is always different. I have realized that completely different colors mixed on one project, CAN be beautiful. The difference between regular "vanish white" clay and "porcelain " clay is, for one, it clearly sounds a lot cooler to say that "I throw with porcelain". and also porcelain clay is VERY "thirsty", it quickly can absorb water but it also makes it weak and hard to pull up. the most common misconception with porcelain is that its not clay. It is man made, therefor it makes even centering more difficult. Porcelain clay also, is like jelly, except it wont go back to its original position when bumped. It can easily be collapsed in other words. I decided on this theme because knew that it was something unique that I took a passion in. Alex is great at drawing with stain, Ariana is greatly gifted with her flowers and making unique projects look good, but me,,,, I am good at handling porcelain, and glass later came along with it. I loved being different with my porcelain, it was my thing that I could do differently. but shortly after people started to dare to be different to, lol. I soon after experimenting with other peoples glass realized that i needed to buy my own glass. I ordered a sample set from a place in Utah and started using it. ALL THE TIME. Through out this semester I have found my inner artist and worked it. I can successfully say that I do have a passion. But not only have I made good projects, I also made another family it almost feels like. I have gained a friendship with a teacher as well. My new friends have influenced me greatly to do weird things with my protects that sometimes worked, and sometimes ended up looking like a 5 year old did it. I loved this class. Couldn't have asked for a better experience Corner club kids 4 life ;)!  This is my first year as an advanced student so let me tell you what I have decided to make my theme,,,,,, GLASS! I have really tried to experience a lot with the glass and I always love the way it looks.All the projects that i have with different glass in them are bowls, all the glass gives each project different character and it never looks the same. Different positioning of the glass in the bowl can make the bowl look completely different.    | AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesJune 2013 Categories |
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