PenniStoddart on tue 4 feb 03
I have checked the archives (although not thoroughly) and have not found =
what I need.
I taught classes last summer at my historic studio in the local pioneer =
village and they went well. SO I figured, earn some bucks towards that =
venture by teaching in the winter too. My problem is this..... the =
summer classes were short (as a try out so to speak) only 3 weeks long. =
Now I am venturing into 6 week classes. With only one wheel in the =
studio I need (hand building) ideas that students can be taught quickly =
and then get on with by themselves.
Please help. =3Do)
Thanks in advance.
Penni=20
in very cold London Ontario - after having had some warmer weather - =
with a nose stuck in several pottery books and a pen in one hand jotting =
down idea after idea.
Dannon Rhudy on wed 5 feb 03
Penni said:
.......I am venturing into 6 week classes.
With only one wheel in the studio I need
(hand building) ideas that students can be
taught quickly and then get on with by themselves..........
For beginners or approximate beginners: slab masks (a series of three
or four will be much better than a single one) - they go quickly. Life
size or bigger, and have them look at some books on masks. Library
would be a good source. Coil pots, and/or coil pots using a puki;
slab boxes with or without feet,
slab trays ditto; coil busts; a large sculptural piece related to chess-
king, queen, bishop etc - but these should be at least 10" high, in
my experience. There's a ton more things, look through issues of
Pottery Making Illustrated. If you engage their interest and keep the
technical part going smoothly, they'll enjoy it. You can also make
breakfast sets - cup, bowl, plate - from slab or coil. Just keep
it interesting.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
J. B. Clauson on wed 5 feb 03
I have taught a few hand-building classes. I start with small pinch pots,
simple bowls without attachments. Next lesson, the foot. I then show coil,
first having students hand roll the coils (I'm a great believer in students
developing a "feel" for the clay) and then the use of the extruder. Next
comes the attachment of lugs, handles, and decorations at a basic level.
Last, but certainly not least, is the slab. I will demonstrate the
rolling-pin technique and then move on to the slab roller. I give
instruction on different decorative techniques and glazing as I go,
depending on the skill-level and/or age of the class. After they've learned
the basic techniques, I give them an open project such as make a vessel at
least 18" tall (or long) using any two of the techniques we have learned or
some such. The critique on this piece is usually the end of the class.
Incidentally, on critiques - be gentle. My favorite pottery teacher, Bill
Geisinger (DeAnza Jr. College, Cupertino, CA, USA) has the unique ability to
critique a pot without destroying your ego. If it hadn't been for him, I
would probably have given up on pottery after the first class!
Jan C.
Jim Cullen on wed 5 feb 03
Penni,
I teach a 5 week handbuilding fundamentals class.
Attached is my 5 week time schedule
Good luck...if you can't make them potters, at least make them better
shoppers.
Keep Centered
CULLEN
Naperville, IL
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of
PenniStoddart
Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 9:01 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: adult class ideas
I have checked the archives (although not thoroughly) and have not found
what I need.
I taught classes last summer at my historic studio in the local pioneer
village and they went well. SO I figured, earn some bucks towards that
venture by teaching in the winter too. My problem is this..... the
summer classes were short (as a try out so to speak) only 3 weeks long.
Now I am venturing into 6 week classes. With only one wheel in the
studio I need (hand building) ideas that students can be taught quickly
and then get on with by themselves.
Please help. =o)
Thanks in advance.
Penni
in very cold London Ontario - after having had some warmer weather -
with a nose stuck in several pottery books and a pen in one hand jotting
down idea after idea.
________________________________________________________________________
______
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You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Rick Hamelin on thu 6 feb 03
Communication and marketing are not much different no matter if you are
selling pots or pottery instruction. First-Be clear as to what you are
offering for the class. Don't take on 10 students to learn throwing if you
only have 2 wheels. It is unfair and potentially will destroy your
reputation.Offer instruction for what tooling and space that you have.Define
your program and class description. Don't be too general as some individuals
will hear what they want to hear and then moan the next 10 weeks making it
uncompfortable for everyone. 2-Decide whether you want desciples or students.
I think that we have all heard of the arrogant teacher interested in teaching
only the blonde and good looking. Your price will affect the student that you
will attract. My community center days had a great mix of students from the
social-skilled deficient to the next great potter. If you want to be very
focused on a technique then you are teaching and market are to a different
group. Pricing will be affected.3-Make sure that the projects will be
completed within the class term as offered so that the student needs not
return for the next session. "But I only need two more classes to finish this,
why should I pay again?" Be honest with them.If the project is not possible
within a time frame, tell them.One student decided to make a red brick and
white mortar brick house about 18 inches cube, forming each brick separately.
I told him that this project would encounter some problems as to time limits,
holidays etc and that a clay compatibilty testing was in order. He refused.
Over the course of weeks, taking off for Thanksgiving, the item was finished.
The shrinkage rates were different enough and it did crack ater firing. I was
blamed. Uncomfortable time. Some students want to be potters, others want just
a completed project. 4-Offer different clays within your heat range. White,
Grog, Smooth are important. Color alternatives as well. 70% of my class used a
finely grogged yellow stoneware, some wanted red, some didn't like grog. One
had skin reactions to all except the White. As different clays have
personalities, let the student chose the one that fits theirs. 5.-Decide on
studio practice times other then class time. The students should get some.6-
Make your and their projects so that they can fire within your studio time, to
prevent other problems.7- Ask the student if they are patient or require a
hobby that returns immediate satisfaction and product. Pottery is step by
step, slab to coil to pinch to wheel. Some students would rather have the
immediate satisfaction of a furniture refinishing class. 7-This can be the
most enjoyable time of your career in some respects. Enjoy it!
DeBorah Goletz on fri 7 feb 03
A beginner clay class should offer the skills, techniques and formal
references needed to craft clay. Red flags go up when a student shows up to
the first class with a "project" in mind. I explain that there are many
aspects to working with clay and the class will follow a path through
several of these. There are skills which need be mastered at each step
along the way. Once through a basic course or two, students will have the
understanding needed to formulate their own projects - not before. There
are exceptions - such as when an artist comes from another discipline (Judy
Chicago comes to mind) - and they bring an understanding gained from that
discipline with them to the clay.
DeBorah Goletz
Enjoying a lovely snowy day in NJ
Gary and Carla Goldberg on fri 7 feb 03
Penni - Here are some ideas when I taught a clay class via the Community
Schools program. Each session, focuses on a different handbuilding
technique, becomming more complicated each session. Don't forghet to allow
time for glazing and instruction on that too.
My class was set up so the beginning of the session we would glaze the item
that was completed and fired from the previous session. You have to keep a
flexible schedule to see how long it takes people to glaze and then start a
new project. Don't rush them, or they start to panic. Don't think any
project is too childish for adults. Once they start playing with the clay,
they get giddy. Look at some of the kid project books.
Example of techniques:
- pinch pot
- coil pot
- slab construction: boxes, magnets or Christmas ornaments, depending upon
time of year. I supplied cookie cutters for the ornaments and bent wire
hooks to stick in the wet clay for hanging.
- decals put on tiles
- let the students choose their favorite technique as a final project.
I hope this helps. :)
----- Original Message -----
From: "PenniStoddart"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 6:00 PM
Subject: adult class ideas
I have checked the archives (although not thoroughly) and have not found
what I need.
I taught classes last summer at my historic studio in the local pioneer
village and they went well. SO I figured, earn some bucks towards that
venture by teaching in the winter too. My problem is this..... the summer
classes were short (as a try out so to speak) only 3 weeks long. Now I am
venturing into 6 week classes. With only one wheel in the studio I need
(hand building) ideas that students can be taught quickly and then get on
with by themselves.
Please help. =o)
Thanks in advance.
Penni
in very cold London Ontario - after having had some warmer weather - with a
nose stuck in several pottery books and a pen in one hand jotting down idea
after idea.
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
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