Practical Work
Cat Dodson
Ceramics 1
Class of 2024
At the beginning of the semester, I was apprehensive about trying ceramics for the first time. I was uncertain about whether I would enjoy it and if I would be able to produce work that I was proud of. However, as I began to work on my pieces, I realized that art is about turning your mistakes into something beautiful.
For this year's art show, I made a collection of many different pieces. I made 4 jewelry holders with a combination of 2 different glazes. I also brought in my own attachments and with those made several earrings both studs and dangling drop earrings. Along with jewelry, I made 3 planters with catch trays underneath.
For the jewelry holders, I threw them on the wheel and added holes to the edge of 2 of them. For the earrings, I hand-built them from small pieces of clay by rolling out the clay and sculpting them. For the planters I laid a slab of clay over a bowl and formed the planter, but for the plates that go under the planters 2 are thrown on the wheel and the other one is hand built.
I chose to make jewelry and jewelry holders because I enjoy wearing earrings and thought it would be exciting to create art that could be practical in everyday life. I also took inspiration for the planters from a class assignment where we had to make planters and It was something that I enjoyed creating. I made a planter for each of my sisters and for my mom. The planters are a set but so is family.
I think my body of work was successful and turned out even better than I could have imagined. I will most definitely continue to practice ceramics. This experience has taught me that it is important to try new things because you might end up loving them.
For this year's art show, I made a collection of many different pieces. I made 4 jewelry holders with a combination of 2 different glazes. I also brought in my own attachments and with those made several earrings both studs and dangling drop earrings. Along with jewelry, I made 3 planters with catch trays underneath.
For the jewelry holders, I threw them on the wheel and added holes to the edge of 2 of them. For the earrings, I hand-built them from small pieces of clay by rolling out the clay and sculpting them. For the planters I laid a slab of clay over a bowl and formed the planter, but for the plates that go under the planters 2 are thrown on the wheel and the other one is hand built.
I chose to make jewelry and jewelry holders because I enjoy wearing earrings and thought it would be exciting to create art that could be practical in everyday life. I also took inspiration for the planters from a class assignment where we had to make planters and It was something that I enjoyed creating. I made a planter for each of my sisters and for my mom. The planters are a set but so is family.
I think my body of work was successful and turned out even better than I could have imagined. I will most definitely continue to practice ceramics. This experience has taught me that it is important to try new things because you might end up loving them.