Ceramics 261 :: Assignment IV :: Plaster Mould, Glaze Tests and Lidded Forms

Aim: To investigate low relief and texture in a repeating pattern panel that will be cast in plaster. The finished negative mould will be used to press clay directly into the plaster creating textured panels used to hand build a form. You will use this mould(s) to make both test tiles for glazes and 2 lidded containers.

Task: To create a repeating pattern composition that can be translated into low relief and texture. Using this low relief form, you will construct two lidded containers and a series of test tiles.

Download the entire assignment: art261-assignment4

The economy got you down? It might be a good time for art.

With the economy on a daily rollercoaster ride of ups and downs there is a lot of uncertainty in the art world. However, all might not be grim and dark for the artist true to themselves. Here is one take on it:

Frieze After the Freeze

The part about all the galleries closing is scary, but the article finishes with a light for the future. Unless you are in it for the bucks.

ART 361:: Assignment 3 :: Ceramic Technology :: Clay and Glaze Testing

Attached below is the Clay and Glaze Testing Assignment. The basics of this assignemnet are to learn how to mix and test a glaze and how to test your clay for shrinkage.

Due Dates
Clay and Glaze tests – November 12
Class Glaze mixing – December 3 (but leaving it to the end does not help the class)

art361-assignment3

Now, for something different to read, check out the Incomplete Manifesto by Bruce Mau on his website. It is an interesting read while you are looking for a way to procrastinate.

ART 361:: Assignment 2 :: Hand Building :: Stacking Sculptures

Aim

1 – To investigate personal imagery and mythology. By using some of the things that you have already learned in ceramics (different methods of hand building; coil, pinching, slab-building, and extruding) incorporated with symbolic imagery and stylization of forms you will communicate an idea that has personal significance 2 – To continue to learn how to make large ceramic objects (sculpture) using separate components.
The Structures

Personal History Structure – You will create a multi-piece, stacking sculpture communicating that somehow related to your personal History. This can be about something you are interested in, something about your family members, a childhood dream (or nightmare), a totemic style detailing the structure of your nuclear family or a series of objects relating reoccurring images from your life. The tale your sculpture tells is up to you.

Future Dream Structure – You will create a second multi-piece, stacking sculpture that communicates something about your future or the idea of the future (other than your own.) This second structure is very open ended. Let your ideas run wild with both the form and the content.

Process

Planning and Drawing – For this project it will be very important that you have in place an over all plan for you various structures. You will be making multiple forms that will be fitting together in a variety of ways – visually, physically and conceptually – and to do this haphazardly may results in extra stress you surely do not need.

Have a plan, a drawing, a timeline, or whatever else you work best from ready to show me on Wednesday, October 22. You need to show me what you want to make before you get started – this is a deadline!

Testing – There are many different things you might want to try for this – working in different temperatures, multiple firings, glazes, slips, multi-media, different clays, decals, etc – and I am more that happy with helping you out with whatever idea you would like to try. But. In order to succeed, you will have to test your ideas our before hand. Remember this when planning your sculptures- The final form will be a sculpture with at least three separate parts that stack on top of each other and work together to tell a story. These forms can stack simply with the power of gravity or you can use a threaded bar, a dowel or even wire to hold your form upright. Remember to keep this additional portion hidden (unless it is a part of your narrative/piece.) Note: you can also use bar or dowel to create interesting cantilever effects in you structure. Use your imagination.

Look at Kathy King for some initial ideas.

Here is the assignmnet for you to download: art361-assignment2

Greg Crowe Here this Week

Just a reminder that Greg Crowe will be here all this week starting on Tuesday where he will be the ART 101 Visiting Artist.

Respected for his wheel-thrown, wood fired vessels, Greg explores the textural boundaries of the clay body. His vessels are stretched, marked, torn and then salt fired to create a unique line of pots. Greg is the lecturer for ceramics at the West Coast College of TAFE, Carine Campus in Western Australia. He is currently President of the Ceramic Arts Association of Western Australia.

On Wednesday and Thursday he will be working with ART 261 and 361 for the entire day – throwing Wednesday morning, loading the wood kiln Wednesday afternoon and then firing the kiln all day Thursday.

Before Midterm (Oct 22)

ART 261 – For Midterm I will be looking at your first project (two Anthropomorphic Vessels) and your participation in the Pitfiring and Throwing classes between now and then.

ART 361 – For Midterm I will be looking at your first project (Parts I, II and III) and your participation in the woodfire next week.

ART 461 – For Midterm I will be looking at your Dinnerware sets and you preparation between now and October 22 for your independent study.

Midterm grades will be handed back on October 22.

Watch this space for your next assignments ART 261 and 361 (I will post them on the long weekend.)

Back from 1000 Miles Apart

ART361 Tile Project

This past weekend (Oct 2 – 4) was 1000 Miles Apart in Regina, SK – next year will be ACAD in Calgary and then back to Red Deer in 2010! It was an exciting and very full weekend – 7 lectures, 2 demos, a lot of food, two openings and a lot of talking. On behalf Red Deer College I just want to thank everyone who made this conference possible. It was well worth it! (it was also interesting to see that North Dakota seems to have joined in the fray and have come to the last two conferences. Maybe we will see them next year too?)

Flashing Slip and Thoughts on Art School and Being an Artist

A bit about Flashing Slip for those of you who are interested in using the slip for the Wood Firing coming up soon. What a flashing slip is a slip made of clay that will react well with the atmosphere in the wood kiln (the wood ash and the salt we will be adding). Some clays, such as the ones we are using in class, can be rather bland in the wood fire and a good flashing slip can help with this. Below are some links to some images of artists whose work are fired in atmosphere and use flashing.

Tom Rohr

Greg Crowe

Julia Galloway

Ian Jones

Also, take a look at this articile where some artists talk about Art School, why they choose art and their own individaul pathes (including Grayson Perry and David Shrigley)

Time Art School

Deadline Claification!

You are running out of time!

ART 261

Monday, September 22: Plans for second anthropomorphic vessel presented to class

Monday, October 6: Deadline for both anthropomorphic vessels – critique on green pots.

ART 361

Friday, September 19: Three tiles with drawing on them due for bisque.

Wednesday, October 1: Assignment One (part i, ii and iii) completed for bisque

October 2 – 5: 1000 Miles Apart in Regina, SK

Wednesday, October 8: Load soda/gas kiln

Wednesday, October 15: Load woodfire kiln w/ Greg Crowe

Thursday, October 16: Fire woodfire kiln w/ Greg Crowe

ART 461

Wednesday, September 24: Terra Sig’s due

Wednesday, October 1: Proposal for personal project draft due

Monday, October 6: Assignment One Dinnerware sets due for bisque

Art 361 – Assignment 1 Part II and III

Part Two – Sets or Centerpieces
Part two of this assignment is aimed at focusing your throwing ability on creating either a set of objects or a single larger object. Each of these options will require research.

A – for this choice you will propose and make one set of thrown pieces. This set will be a number of pieces that all work together to create a whole. For example, four identical stacking plates; four stacking bowls; a teapot and four tea cups; nesting bowls; etc

B – If you are more drawn to sculpture than to pots, you can make a different sort of object for the table. If you choose this option, research the following types of objects: Tureen, Tulipierre, Platter, Large Serving Bowl, Candelabra, Ceramic pillow, Flower brick, Drug Jars (Apothecary Jars), Baskets, or some other form of centerpiece. For this option, your piece will still be thrown, but it can be thrown and altered.

For either of these choices you will turn in a proposal and that will determine the number or size you are working with. This is only one part of the assignment and I do not want you to over (or under) extend yourselves. Spend some time in the researching either option in the library and include three examples of historical or contemporary works that will reference your work.

These sets will either be gas fired or soda fired. There will also be a wood fire, but there is no guarantee there will be room for these pieces.

Part Three – Multi-part Cylinders
For the final part of the throwing/wood-fire project, you will be making a series of tall cylinders. These cylinders can be anything you would like – a vase, a jar, a pitcher or simply a cylinder tall and round – but each will meet a few requirements: there will be at least three cylinders. one will be 8” tall, one 10” and one 15”. These cylinders can be throw out of one piece of clay or, if it makes more sense, out of multiple thrown pieces. All of these pieces will be wood-fired.

Decoration: these pieces will not be glazed but will instead be decorated with carving, scraffito, flashing slip and slip or terra sig.

art361-assignment1