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Fine Arts · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Expression in Clay

While “Advance Techniques” focuses on structure, this course focuses on meaning. It encourages students to use clay as a medium for conceptual art and personal narrative. Students will explore sculptural ceramics, moving away from the vessel to create installations, figurative works, and abstract forms. The curriculum emphasizes surface treatment, alternative firing, and the critical context of contemporary ceramic art.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Develop a personal artistic voice using clay as the primary medium
  2. Master sculptural hand-building: Solid building vs. Hollow construction
  3. Explore surface as narrative: Sgraffito, Mishima, and Decals
  4. Critique contemporary ceramic trends (Installation and Performance)
  5. Execute alternative finishing techniques: Cold finishes, Smoked firing, or Lusters
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01Conceptual Ceramics: Beyond the Bowl
  2. 02Maquettes & Sketching in 3D
  3. 03Coil Building for Large Scale Sculpture
  4. 04Slab Construction: Sharp Angles & Architecture
  5. 05Texture & Mark Making tools
  6. 06The Totem: Verticality and Balance
  7. 07Mixed Media: Clay + Metal/Wood
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09The Figure in Clay: Gesture & Emotion
  10. 10Fragmentation & Deconstruction
  11. 11Surface I: Slips, Engobes, & Terra Sigillata
  12. 12Surface II: Screen Printing on Clay
  13. 13Installation Art: Clay in Space
  14. 14Alternative Firing: Pit & Barrel Firing
  15. 15Cold Finishes: Paint & Wax
  16. 16Final Project: The Conceptual Sculptural Series

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Conceptual Sculptural Series

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. The Ceramics Bible: The Complete Guide to Materials and Techniques by Louisa Taylor
  2. Contemporary Ceramics by Emmanuel Cooper
  3. Ceramic Sculpture: Making Faces by Alex Irvine
  4. Finding One's Way with Clay by Paulus Berensohn
  5. Vitamin C: Clay and Ceramic in Contemporary Art (Phaidon)
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