OCAC Ceramics

ceramics curriculum teaches the fundamentals of handbuilding, wheel throwing and firing techniques of clay as both a sculptural and functional medium. Problem solving and self-confidence are developed as students learn to calculate glazes, fabricate and use molds, create surface treatments, fire kilns and understand kiln theory. As students gain a deeper understanding of spatial concerns, they experiment with the vessel form and its relationship to culture. Students build on ceramic traditions by developing narrative voices and social commentaries in three-dimensional form. The curriculum encourages work with experimental materials, surface treatments and firings. An advanced understanding of ceramic history and interpretation is developed through slide lectures and hands-on assignments. The ceramics studio prepares students to achieve their goals of advanced studies in graduate school or life as a studio artist.