Throughout the month of November, LC students taking an elective ceramics course will be designing a mug kindled from clay. Since there is always a new pool of talent, different designs line the showcases from year to year.
“We are making mugs and attaching the base. [We are currently] cutting around [the base], blending it together and smoothing it all out,” Jenna Buntin (10) said.
After the students attach the base, they move on to the second step in the progress, smoothing out their work.
“We are [currently] cutting the bases off of our slab mugs and making sure that they are smooth and easy to drink out of. Making sure there is no cracks and that it is well blended [is important] so that it can be a functioning piece of pottery,” Monica Oljace (11) said.
Throughout each step it is important to keep in mind the moisture that the mug has locked in. If the clay becomes too dry, the craft will be ruined.
“I wrapped mine [in a damp paper towel] because it was getting too hard, and I have to soften it in order to smooth out all the edges,” Kaitlyn Opperman (10) said.
Ceramics teaches students that sometimes it is okay to get their hands dirty.
“[In Ceramics I] we are teaching them the basics of hand building. There are certain projects that are developed for years that prep them for Advanced Ceramics. Hand building with clay [is] the beginning forms of pottery” Mrs. Rachel Gray, Art, said.
