First Class September 16
Reconnected with the teacher, Kristen Keiffer. I had her a few years ago and remember her being an extreme skillful instructor. I also remember her being an instructor with high expectations. My previous instructor was very easy and loved everything, so I'm bit nervous.
No worries, Kristen is very friendly and helpful and the class is full of very talented and experienced potters. A lot to learn just by watching them. I told Kristen the plans I've made with Tom O'Malley, the Ceramics Department head. Tom runs the graduate credit program and the course goals need to be discussed with him. I told him that I want to improve my over all throwing skills and work on decorating techniques, specifically sgraffito, mishima, and slip painting; that I want to connect the decretive imagery with the paintings that I've been working on the past few years. Tom suggests I throw a series of larger shaped vessels so I have room to develop my imagery and can practice similar shaped forms.
I fell a bit rusty but managed to throw two medium size jars. The first one is Okay but the second had a lot of air bubbles and took some extra centering. The clay got soft and didn't slide off the wheel well. It got a little deformed and I decided not to keep it.
the jar I kept
Kristen saw I was trying to throw some jars and proceeded to give a demonstration on jars and throwing a proper gallery. She demonstrated how to keep the lip about twice as thick as the rest of the
walls, to gradually taper to the top of the lip, then to split the lip into a side and a bottom section.
Second Class September 23
Kristen gave a demonstration on how to throw a large vase by throwing two mid size vases then combining them together. She used calipers to get the openings to match and beveled the lips at opposite angles. Afterwards she carefully scored and blended the two pots into one.
I followed her example and was able to make a pretty good tall vase using 3 lbs for each section.
Kristen also did a bowl demo and talked about shape and design. She discussed stability verses elegance in regards to the shape of the bowl and the with of the foot. She also threw the bowl so she would have piece to demonstrate trimming durring next class.
Third Class September 30th
Kristen give a trimming demo starting off with two bisque examples. One shows many common mistakes the other displays proper technique. She also demonstrates tap centering, which I still have trouble with. She also displays an interesting trick of using an old cap under her bracing finger.
I spent most of the class trowing lids.
Fourth Class October 3rd
I threw another jar and then spent most of class trimming lids and adding nobs.
Open Studio October 12th
Painted my jars with slip glaze
Fifth Class October 14th
Kristen is out today and Jen a artist in resident took over the class.
Two of Jenn's pots
One of my greenware jars
Two Jars that I finished sgraffito on at home
Finally she gave one on pulling a handle on the pot
A lot of interesting and informative demonstrations but I didn't get much done.
Sixth Class October 21st
Kristen gives her own demo of how to throw a pitcher.
Pitchers I threw
My jars just got bisqued
