ART 123-CERAMICS

SYLLABUS AND COURSE OUTLINE

SPRING 2005-MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY  1:10 –  4:00

PROFESSOR CALISCH

This course is primarily a studio class.  That means we spend the majority of our time involved in the creative process.  In short, we make things.  Making art and being conscientious art students, however, is not an isolated act.  It requires that we stay connected to the world around us, the world that came before us, and the worlds that are hidden from us.  We make art to stay connected to ourselves,  and to communicate our discoveries to others.  In order to augment creative production and discover how the creative process works we will also spend time learning techniques, watching demonstrations, reading, discussing, viewing slides, keeping journals, critiquing, and visiting the galleries.

OPEN STUDIO WORK SCHEDULE            Mon.-Fri. 7:00 am - 5:00 pm (Fri. until 4:00 pm)

                                                                        Sun.-Thurs. 7:00 pm-11:00 pm

Grade Distribution and Grading Policy:There are five projects, escalating in complexity, during the semester. Each builds on the project or projects that precedes it. Each is worth 15% of your final grade. There is a mid-term exam worth 15% of your final grade. There is a required Sketchbook/Journal to be used to record your creative process. This book (collected twice) and your participation in class critiques, discussion, and attendance make up 10% of your final grade.

Due to the nature of the Ceramic Process (clay drying time, firing schedules, glazing etc.), evaluation (grades) can only be determined at the midterm critique, and at the final critique. These deadlines are absolute, and while in-progress evaluation will go on routinely, actual grades can only be determined at those two specific times.

CALENDAR:

For the first half of the semester the class will split into two groups. One group will start with hand-building (assignment 1 a, b, c), while the other group will begin working on the potter’s wheel (assignment #2 a, b, c,). On February 7^th, the groups will switch. Each group will have specific readings and demonstrations associated with the particular starting direction.  The “hand-building” group will use the syllabus as printed. The “wheel” group will start on February 7^th and return to the beginning of the syllabus when we switch techniques.

Wednesday, January 12            COURSE INTRODUCTION - Tour of Facilities, Safety Issues                                               Instruction,       Course Philosophy, Sketchbook/Journal,                                                          Grades, Vocabulary, Calendar, Readings and Special events.

                                                SLIDE LECTURE

                                                READING ASSIGNMENT--Due 1-17--Chapters 1,9,

Monday, January 17                 Reading Due: Discussion--Chapters 1 & 9

                                                INTRODUCTION TO  ASSIGNMENT #1A

                                                Title:                 Beginnings: Tiles and Texture, Pinch Control

                                                Materials:         Stoneware and Earthenware

                                                Approach:        Exploration and Experimentation

                                                Purpose:           This assignment is designed to acquaint students with the properties, principles, process and sophistication of clay.

                                                LECTURE/DEMONSTRATION “Properties of Clay” Part 1

Wednesday, January 19            WORK DAY

                                                READING ASSIGNMENT--Due 1-24--Chapters 10-11

Monday, January 24                 WORK DAY

                                                Reading Due today--Chapters 10 & 11

Wednesday, January 26            INTRODUCTION TO  ASSIGNMENT #1B

                                                Title:                 Beginnings: Slab and Coil Construction

                                                Materials:         White Earthenware

                                                Approach:        Using the Principles of Design

                                                Purpose:           This assignment is designed to incorporate design principles when creating a ceramic form           

                                                LECTURE/DEMONSTRATION “Properties of Clay” Part 2

                                                READING ASSIGNMENT--Due 1-31--Chapter 8

Monday, January 31                 WORK DAY

                                                Reading Due Today--Chapter  8

Wednesday, February 2           WORK DAY

                                                READING ASSIGNMENT--Due 2-9--Chapter 12 & 16

Monday, February 7     INTRODUCTION TO ASSIGNMENT #2

                                                Title:                 “The Potter’s Wheel

                                                Materials:         Stoneware or earthenware

                                                Approach:        Throwing

                                                Purpose:           Begin to examine the relationship/difference                 between art and craft and the development of technique on the wheel.

                                                LECTURE/DEMONSTRATION “Properties of Clay” Part 3

Wednesday, February 9           WORK DAY

                                                Reading Due Today--Chapter 12 &16

Monday, February14    WORK DAY

Wednesday, February 16         WORK DAY –(Calisch Gone)

                                                READING ASSIGNMENT--Due 2-21--Chapter 15

Monday, February 21   WORK DAY

                                                Reading Due Today--Chapter 15

Wednesday, February 23         WORK DAY ***Last day to work with greenware***

                                                GLAZING, Loading,  and Firing

                                                LECTURE/DEMONSTRATION “Glazing”

Monday, February 28   WORK DAY- GLAZING, Loading, and Firing (Calisch Gone)

Wednesday, March 2   WORK DAY- GLAZING, Loading, and Firing (Calisch Gone)

SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK SPRING BREAK

Monday, March 14                  MID-TERM CRITIQUE/EXAM

                                                Sketch books/Journals due

                                                READING ASSIGNMENT--Due 3-16—Chapters 13 &14

Wednesday, March 16 INTRODUCTION TO ASSIGNMENT #3 SLIDE LECTURE

                                                Title:                 Sculpting the figure

                                                Materials:         White Earthenware

                                                Approach:        Modeling

                                                Purpose:           To explore a contemporary merger between

                                                                        sculpture and ceramics.  Clay continues to become a

                                                                        means for expressing personal ideas.

                                                Reading Due Today--Chapters 13 & 14

Monday, March 21                  WORK DAY

Wednesday, March 23 WORK DAY              

Monday, March 28                  WORK DAY

Wednesday, March 30 WORK DAY

                                                INTRODUCTION TO ASSIGNMENT #4

                                                Title: “Primitive Firing Project”

                                                Materials: Earthenware

                                                Approach: Functional or ritual

                                                Purpose: This assignment is designed to study the significance

                                                (historical, functional, and/or spiritual) of ceramics within a

                                                “primitive” culture. 

                                                VIDEO--MARIA MARTINEZ

READING/RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT--Due 4/4-- Chapters 2,3,4,5 (selectively)

Monday, April 4                       WORK DAY

Reading and Research Due Today- Chapters 2,3,4,5 (selectively)

Wednesday, April 6      WORK DAY              

Monday, April 11                     WORK DAY

                                                INTRODUCTION TO ASSIGNMENT #5

                                                Title:                 “The Tea Pot”

                                                Materials:         Open

                                                Approach:        Open

                                                Purpose:           Putting it all together: Function, style, and content

Wednesday, April 13    WORK DAY  

Monday, April 18                     WORK DAY

MONDAY, APRIL 18            2000 Wabash Senior Art Majors’ Exhibition

            Eric Dean Gallery Opening Reception 8:00-9:30 Monday, April 18,

Wednesday, April 20    WORK DAY

FRIDAY, APRIL 22              **Last day to work any greenware**

Monday, April 25                     WORK DAY

Wednesday, April 27    Primitive Firing & Class Ritual

Tuesday, May 3, 1:30   FINAL CRITIQUE/EXAM 1:30 pm

                                                Sketch books/Journals are Due