Lori Bradley on sat 21 mar 98
Hi,
I've been a lurker on this list for a while and everyone seems so
understanding and supportive, and I've received some great technical
information, so thanks to everyone.
I had a recent conversation with a teacher I've been taking continuing
education clay courses with for a couple of years. She is a good potter,
and is very traditional in her approach. I was discussing the possibility
of graduate school for myself, and she said she thought I shouldn't apply
until I decided whether I was going to make utilitarian forms or purely
sculptural forms. I have a painting and sculpture background, and have
been making geometric lanterns that are covered with bas-relief and
painted/glazed designs. I also make ceramic tiles, with carved and molded
bas-relief surfaces, and build sculptural forms (sometimes lamps) out of
the tiles.
She also said that most of the better ceramics MFA programs want applicants
to have a strong backing in traditional utilitarian pottery and forms, not
sculpture. This seemed odd to me since many vessels I've seen work as
beautiful sculptural forms. And IMO some of the most interesting
non-utilitarian sculptural work being done today is being done with clay.
I love clay for it's flexibility to be whatever you want it to be. I would
like to be in a program where I could get in-depth technical education in
ceramics, but where I wouldn't be encouraged to approach clay in only
traditional ways. Does anyone know of any ceramic MFA programs that
encourage ceramic sculpture or would look at portfolios from applicants
with primarily sculptural work? I've only started looking into schools,
and I was a little confused and discouraged by the above mentioned
conversation. Are there any sculpture programs that have good technical
instruction in ceramics?
Thanks,
Lori Bradley
terraqua@ici.net
Timothy Dean Malm on sun 22 mar 98
yThe MFAprogram at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu,encourages
contemporary expressions in clay, read sculpture , over wheel based
technologies.Tim Malm U.H.M.F.A. grad. 1980
Vince Pitelka on sun 22 mar 98
>She also said that most of the better ceramics MFA programs want applicants
>to have a strong backing in traditional utilitarian pottery and forms, not
>sculpture. This seemed odd to me since many vessels I've seen work as
>beautiful sculptural forms. And IMO some of the most interesting
>non-utilitarian sculptural work being done today is being done with clay.
>I love clay for it's flexibility to be whatever you want it to be. I would
>like to be in a program where I could get in-depth technical education in
>ceramics, but where I wouldn't be encouraged to approach clay in only
>traditional ways. Does anyone know of any ceramic MFA programs that
>encourage ceramic sculpture or would look at portfolios from applicants
>with primarily sculptural work? I've only started looking into schools,
>and I was a little confused and discouraged by the above mentioned
>conversation. Are there any sculpture programs that have good technical
>instruction in ceramics?
In my experience the circumstance is exactly the opposite. Many of the best
ceramics graduate programs are interested more in sculptural work.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
HWPOCOOK on sun 22 mar 98
Arizona State University, Tempe Arizona. My background was as a painter who
worked in clay. Much encouragement for experimentation and then support to
hone in and fine tune for your culmination. Jeanne Otis, Kurt Weiser and
Randy Schmidt there in clay along with other incredibly diverse and incitefull
artists/instructors in other areas. Check it out.
Rebecca Harvey on wed 25 mar 98
Lori,
I know that when we look at perspective students we look at the work, the
strength of the work, functional or sculptural isn't the biggest
concern.Strong work is strong work.
Rebecca Harvey
Ohio State University
| |
|
