This studio arts program explores cultural meaning, ritual, and exchange through an examination of historical ceramic cookware, tableware, storage containers, and serving vessels. Through studio workshops, lectures, readings, seminars, and critiques, we will examine how humans throughout history have used ceramics to articulate complex relationships between food, function, and social experience. We will investigate how ceramics operate in rituals of worship, eating, sharing, and serving, and how these objects communicate meaning.
In both quarters, students will have opportunities to develop 2-D and 3-D technical skills in ceramic forming, glazing, and firing techniques while learning about the history of ceramics. Each student in the program will create a series of creative works related to tableware and serving vessels. In winter quarter, we will examine the development of ancient ceramic cooking vessels, ritual vessels for ceremony, and feasts and burial practices involving ceramic pots and food. Technical skills in the studio will focus on hand building and low fire surface treatments for functional and sculptural ceramics. In spring quarter, we will trace the development of ceramics from the Renaissance through Modernism, studying the impacts of the Industrial Revolution, the Arts and Crafts movement, Bauhaus and Modern Art movements on ceramic tableware and serving vessels. Technical skills in the studio will focus on wheel throwing and production methods as well as more advanced glazing.
This program is designed for beginner to intermediate students with little or no experience with ceramics and art history (winter) and more experienced students in ceramics and visual arts (spring). Students should have a strong work ethic, self-discipline, and be willing to work long hours on-campus in the ceramics studio. Students who fully engage in the theory and practice of this program can expect to leave the program prepared for more intermediate to advanced studies in the visual arts.
Anticipated Credit Equivalencies:
Winter:
8 - Introduction to Ceramics
4 - Ritual Studies
4 - Ceramic Art History
Spring:
8 - Intermediate Ceramics
4 - Ritual Studies
4 - Ceramic Art History
Registration
New spring students must have an introductory understanding and prior experience working with ceramics.
Academic Details
Visual Arts, Arts Education, Design
$200 fee each quarter covers museum entrance fees ($50), supplies for ceramics projects ($50), and a required studio fee ($100).