Jeff Campana on thu 2 dec 99
I'm asking everyone on behalf of my friend and co-student.
He has 7 years of experience so far, and is very focussed on functional
pottery and raku vessels. He has no interest in handbuilding, and wants to
better his work in a graduate school, but remain focussed on functional
wheel throwing and technical aspects of stoneware and raku firing (currently
he is working under a grant on crystaline glaze research). I was wondering
if there are any specific schools you all know of that specialize in
funtionality and chemistry/firing, rather than non-functional sides of
ceramics.
Thanks in advance
Jeff Campana
Vince Pitelka on fri 3 dec 99
>He has 7 years of experience so far, and is very focussed on functional
>pottery and raku vessels. He has no interest in handbuilding, and wants to
>better his work in a graduate school, but remain focussed on functional
>wheel throwing and technical aspects of stoneware and raku firing (currently
>he is working under a grant on crystaline glaze research). I was wondering
>if there are any specific schools you all know of that specialize in
>funtionality and chemistry/firing, rather than non-functional sides of
>ceramics.
>Jeff Campana
Jeff -
I do not know of any graduate ceramics programs which specifically emphasize
wheel-thrown functional work. In fact, I would be highly suspect of any
that did. That would be terribly limiting. There are quite a few where such
a direction is a viable option, as long as the style and content is
appropriately inspired. These include John Neely at Utah State University,
Pete Pinnell and Gail Kendall at University of Nebraska, Chris Staley at
Penn State, Linda Sikora at Alfred, Linda Arbuckle at North Florida, lots of
others. However, I would like to make a point here. You say that your
friend has no interest in handbuilding. Where did that disinterest come
from? Did your friend become thoroughly versed in all handbuilding
processes in undergraduate school or subsequent studio activity, and from
those experiences decide that he/she is not interested in handbuilding? If
not, then it is unacceptable for someone heading for graduate school in
ceramics to say that they have absolutely no interest in handbuilding.
Becoming good at handbuilding will make your friend a much better potter.
In fact, if your friend is already well versed in wheel-work, they
specifically SHOULD spend a few years concentrating on handbuilding, so that
he/she will have a full command of the medium. Personal style and direction
is always strongest when it arises from a broad range of experience and
fluency in materials, process, and technique.
Sorry to sound preachy here, but I feel pretty strongly about this. There
are too many potters out there who do not know how to handbuild, and they
would ALL be better potters if they did.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Home - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
elizabeth priddy on sat 4 dec 99
Randolph Macon Community College, NC has
a two year tech degree that will give the
classes you say you want. But Grad school
implies that you also want an MFA, which you
can't get there.
They teach you how to make pots, not art.
Then they expect you to intern for someone
in Seagrove or somewhere else, to learn
about art and life. No MFA, but real
wholesome pottery life work.
---
Elizabeth Priddy
email: epriddy@usa.net
http://www.angelfire.com/nc/clayworkshop
Clay: 12,000 yrs and still fresh!
--== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ==--
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Jeff Campana on sat 4 dec 99
Vince
Thank you for your insightful interest. My freind in question has been throwing
for the last 6 years and focussed on handbuilding for a few months at a time
scattered within those years. I would not say he hates handbuilding, But
definitely preferres the wheel. I agree with you entirely on the limitations
the wheel alone places on the potter. In fact, i recently started my
handbuilding focus, and intend to stick at it for at least a year, trying not
even to look at the wheel these days. I have found that when on the wheel, i
make about 20 different forms, and can't really find any more variety without at
least adding handbuilding methods to it.
It is odd, but he has this strange preconcieved notion that graduate school is
about making "glaze experements on metal tripods"(his exact words). I try to
dispell this attitude, but, being a freshman, i really do not have the exposure
to say i am certain grad school is NOT automatically that. To be honest, I have
absolutely no clue what kinds of things graduate students are doing, or what is
expected of a student going into a graduate program. That is why I asked this
question for him; so i might get a little bit of a taste for what is out there.
Thank you for your advice, and any further information you could give me about
this would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely
Jeff Campana
Vince Pitelka wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> >He has 7 years of experience so far, and is very focussed on functional
> >pottery and raku vessels. He has no interest in handbuilding, and wants to
> >better his work in a graduate school, but remain focussed on functional
> >wheel throwing and technical aspects of stoneware and raku firing (currently
> >he is working under a grant on crystaline glaze research). I was wondering
> >if there are any specific schools you all know of that specialize in
> >funtionality and chemistry/firing, rather than non-functional sides of
> >ceramics.
> >Jeff Campana
>
> Jeff -
> I do not know of any graduate ceramics programs which specifically emphasize
> wheel-thrown functional work. In fact, I would be highly suspect of any
> that did. That would be terribly limiting. There are quite a few where such
> a direction is a viable option, as long as the style and content is
> appropriately inspired. These include John Neely at Utah State University,
> Pete Pinnell and Gail Kendall at University of Nebraska, Chris Staley at
> Penn State, Linda Sikora at Alfred, Linda Arbuckle at North Florida, lots of
> others. However, I would like to make a point here. You say that your
> friend has no interest in handbuilding. Where did that disinterest come
> from? Did your friend become thoroughly versed in all handbuilding
> processes in undergraduate school or subsequent studio activity, and from
> those experiences decide that he/she is not interested in handbuilding? If
> not, then it is unacceptable for someone heading for graduate school in
> ceramics to say that they have absolutely no interest in handbuilding.
> Becoming good at handbuilding will make your friend a much better potter.
> In fact, if your friend is already well versed in wheel-work, they
> specifically SHOULD spend a few years concentrating on handbuilding, so that
> he/she will have a full command of the medium. Personal style and direction
> is always strongest when it arises from a broad range of experience and
> fluency in materials, process, and technique.
>
> Sorry to sound preachy here, but I feel pretty strongly about this. There
> are too many potters out there who do not know how to handbuild, and they
> would ALL be better potters if they did.
> Best wishes -
> - Vince
>
> Vince Pitelka
> Home - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
> 615/597-5376
> Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
> 615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
> Appalachian Center for Crafts
> Tennessee Technological University
> 1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Alex Solla on sat 4 dec 99
You know Vince... I think it is kind of funny that all
the people you mentioned also happen to be some of the
best handbuilders of pots in the country too.
Might say something about how skilled they are and
what kind of teaching they espouse.
Something to be aware of... what your teachers teach
versus what they make.... good students come from all
of those programs.
Good call.
-Alex Solla
who just finished his MFA at USU with Neely.
--- Vince Pitelka wrote:
> ----------------------------Original
> message----------------------------
> >He has 7 years of experience so far, and is very
> focussed on functional
> >pottery and raku vessels. He has no interest in
> handbuilding, and wants to
> >better his work in a graduate school, but remain
> focussed on functional
> >wheel throwing and technical aspects of stoneware
> and raku firing (currently
> >he is working under a grant on crystaline glaze
> research). I was wondering
> >if there are any specific schools you all know of
> that specialize in
> >funtionality and chemistry/firing, rather than
> non-functional sides of
> >ceramics.
> >Jeff Campana
>
> Jeff -
> I do not know of any graduate ceramics programs
> which specifically emphasize
> wheel-thrown functional work. In fact, I would be
> highly suspect of any
> that did. That would be terribly limiting. There
> are quite a few where such
> a direction is a viable option, as long as the style
> and content is
> appropriately inspired. These include John Neely at
> Utah State University,
> Pete Pinnell and Gail Kendall at University of
> Nebraska, Chris Staley at
> Penn State, Linda Sikora at Alfred, Linda Arbuckle
> at North Florida, lots of
> others. However, I would like to make a point here.
> You say that your
> friend has no interest in handbuilding. Where did
> that disinterest come
> from? Did your friend become thoroughly versed in
> all handbuilding
> processes in undergraduate school or subsequent
> studio activity, and from
> those experiences decide that he/she is not
> interested in handbuilding? If
> not, then it is unacceptable for someone heading for
> graduate school in
> ceramics to say that they have absolutely no
> interest in handbuilding.
> Becoming good at handbuilding will make your friend
> a much better potter.
> In fact, if your friend is already well versed in
> wheel-work, they
> specifically SHOULD spend a few years concentrating
> on handbuilding, so that
> he/she will have a full command of the medium.
> Personal style and direction
> is always strongest when it arises from a broad
> range of experience and
> fluency in materials, process, and technique.
>
> Sorry to sound preachy here, but I feel pretty
> strongly about this. There
> are too many potters out there who do not know how
> to handbuild, and they
> would ALL be better potters if they did.
> Best wishes -
> - Vince
>
> Vince Pitelka
> Home - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
> 615/597-5376
> Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
> 615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
> Appalachian Center for Crafts
> Tennessee Technological University
> 1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
>
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Jim Bozeman on sun 5 dec 99
There
> > are too many potters out there who do not know how
> > to handbuild, and they
> > would ALL be better potters if they did.
> > Best wishes -
> > - Vince
I
might point out that there are some teachers that have MFA degree's and
don't even know how to make pottery on the wheel. There is one instructor I
know who has an MFA from Alfred and is the chair of the ceramics dept at a
University and can't even throw pottery. She chased off one student who
wanted to pursue wheel oriented wares. I think MOST of academia has total
contempt for wheel thrown ware.
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