Over the past four years of high school and four semesters of ceramics, I have been working on my style. My sophomore year, my theme for first semester was nature and then second semester it was nature and complex design. Once this year started, I played it safe, making projects that looked pretty ordinary. I made mugs like mugs, vases that looked like vases. Once it was time to start thinking about themes, I thought to myself, I don’t want to do the same theme I have done before. I wanted to start making projects that are way different than what I am used to making. I wanted to make projects that made people double take and get a little confused by the projects. From this, my theme was born. Unexpected scales and fun design.

    This semester, I have made quite a few projects that fit my theme. One example of this includes a mug that is open on the bottom half for cookies. This mug can look completely normal from one angle and completely not from another. Another example of my theme is a vase with a hole in the center. It’s not really functional and makes you look at it in a weird way. It is not your typical vase. Another example of my theme is a teapot that looks crazy all over. In some ways it looks like it is upside down and in other ways it look like it shouldn’t even been standing upright. All three of these projects embody my theme. They all are unexpected scales, looking completely wrong and still having a fun factor to them.

    Almost all of my projects that I made are wheel thrown. But I do have several that are also hand made completely. There are also come projects that are all wheel thrown, but attached by hand, for example my multi wheel piece. My teapot is almost completely hand made, but the spout was made on the wheel. I have several different ways of making my projects, so how I make the project really depends on the project itself.

    The reason why I chose this theme is because I like to make my projects different than your typical mug or vase. I like it when my projects can look normal from one angle, but crazy from another. A the beginning of the semester, I didn’t do anything special with my projects. But as the semester went on, I started to do things different with my projects. I cut pieces of clay out here and added on clay there. I would eve twist the entire structure and stacking projects on top of others. I just started to get out of my safe zone with my projects, and I wanted to create my theme around these projects.

    After playing it safe for so long and nearing the end of my time in ceramics, I wanted to make projects that I hadn’t tried before. I am going to be leaving ceramics proud that I didn’t end playing it safe, making projects that are fun, weird, and mostly non functional.

Over the past four years of high school and four semesters of ceramics, I have been working on my style. My sophomore year, my theme for first semester was nature and then second semester it was nature and complex design. Once this year started, I played it safe, making projects that looked pretty ordinary. I made mugs like mugs, vases that looked like vases. Once it was time to start thinking about themes, I thought to myself, I don’t want to do the same theme I have done before. I wanted to start making projects that are way different than what I am used to making. I wanted to make projects that made people double take and get a little confused by the projects. From this, my theme was born. Unexpected scales and fun design. This semester, I have made quite a few projects that fit my theme. One example of this includes a mug that is open on the bottom half for cookies. This mug can look completely normal from one angle and completely not from another. Another example of my theme is a vase with a hole in the center. It’s not really functional and makes you look at it in a weird way. It is not your typical vase. Another example of my theme is a teapot that looks crazy all over. In some ways it looks like it is upside down and in other ways it look like it shouldn’t even been standing upright. All three of these projects embody my theme. They all are unexpected scales, looking completely wrong and still having a fun factor to them. Almost all of my projects that I made are wheel thrown. But I do have several that are also hand made completely. There are also come projects that are all wheel thrown, but attached by hand, for example my multi wheel piece. My teapot is almost completely hand made, but the spout was made on the wheel. I have several different ways of making my projects, so how I make the project really depends on the project itself. The reason why I chose this theme is because I like to make my projects different than your typical mug or vase. I like it when my projects can look normal from one angle, but crazy from another. A the beginning of the semester, I didn’t do anything special with my projects. But as the semester went on, I started to do things different with my projects. I cut pieces of clay out here and added on clay there. I would eve twist the entire structure and stacking projects on top of others. I just started to get out of my safe zone with my projects, and I wanted to create my theme around these projects. After playing it safe for so long and nearing the end of my time in ceramics, I wanted to make projects that I hadn’t tried before. I am going to be leaving ceramics proud that I didn’t end playing it safe, making projects that are fun, weird, and mostly non functional.

1. WHAT DID YOU MAKE?
This semester I have made quite a few projects that fit to my theme. Since my theme is unexpected scales, I have tons of projects that aren't your typical mug, vase, or teapot! Not only are my projects unexpected, they are also a lot of fun. The projects I have are a giany vase I made out of four different projects and a handle all put together. Another one is a mug I made that is completely open on the bottom half. The third is a teapot that actually looks upside down and like somethig from a Tim Burton film.

2. HOW DID YOU MAKE IT?
Most of my projects are wheel thrown with hand made details on them. But I also like to make my porjects completely by hand. It really depends on the project. For example, I threw my mug, but I cut out the bottom by hand and added the bottom covering. But my teapot is completely made by hand. ANd then my giant vase is all wheel thrown.

3. WHY THIS THEME?
I chose this theme because I like to make projects that make you double take. The projects that can look like nothing special from one angle, but something crazy from another. At the beginning of the semester, I didn't really do anything crazy. I made your typical mug, vase, but nothing WOW! As the semester went on, I started cutting things out here and there and twisting the entire structure and stacking projects ontop of one another. I just started to get a little wild with my projects, so I thought I should center my theme around these projects.

I haven't completely committed to one theme yet. I just am not sure what it could be, especially since I have so many different types of projects! Here are a few ideas I came up with though!

-Something to do with drips (I do them a lot!)
-Go big or go home...
-Unexpected Scales
-Fun shapes
-Nature-ific

I think that about all I have right now... so many options!!

So far this quarter, I have made my two bowls, my tall project, my wheel altered project, and my set of three. I have posted my tall project and my two bowl, but my set of three just came out of the kiln and my wheel altered is not posted up yet.

I have been participating in class pretty much every day. I have made several extra projects in addition to the required projects. Also, i have finished my choice project, which is not up yet either. I had finished my two plates, but they have gone missing, so I will be making new ones soon. I think I have put forth a very good effort in my projects and in class itself. As far as cleaning goes, I am really good about cleaning up after myself, but could do better at my job, which is cleaning bats. I am glad with my ceramic results!