The
students in Sky and River Class have been learning about working with clay
during art recently. The ceramics center is one center that students can choose
to work in when they come to art class. Units of study related to drawing and
painting were covered during art classes during September and October and those
centers are also open for students to work in.
The
unit began with a clay project that all students were expected to participate
in. They learned how to roll out a slab of clay, use a pin tool safely to cut
out a shape from the slab, how to turn it in to a small dish by gently curving
up the sides of the dish, and attaching clay feet to the bottom of the dish
using the technique of scoring and adding slip. The next week they were taught
how to make a pinch pot. Some students choose to make this project, others
decided to make something else with their clay, and a few students choose to
work in the drawing or the painting center instead.
We have been talking about the process clay goes through after something is made. As a clay project dries, it becomes greenware and is very fragile. After being loaded in the kiln and fired, it is called bisqueware. Bisque fired clay is stronger than greenware and won’t break as easily. Because there are several times in this process when a clay piece can break, students have to learn not to be attached to their works of art, which is challenging for all of us. Finally, we will stain the clay pieces and they can be brought home. Two-dimensional works of art are kept in the student’s portfolios and go home at the end of the school year.
