... WORKS OF MERYL'S STUDENTS
These works are representative of the fine efforts of my advanced students. Their assignment calls for development of a clay facade. Beginning with a preliminary drawing of the facade of a building on 10" x 10" paper (or larger), the student is encouraged to provide a richly varied, detailed composition of the edifice and its surrounding milieu. It can be based on a photograph or a magazine or book illustration or preferably drawn from life.
When the sketch is done and approved, I instruct them on the techniques for creating clay slabs. Their initial slab is made of stoneware clay #45, which is easy to work with and forgiving. A paperclay admixture is used for slip. The slab is placed upon a wooden board covered with newspaper. It matches the original sketch in size and is somewhat thicker than other clay slabs they will deal with subsequently. Then begins the long process of making layers of slabs using pattern pieces designed from the elements contained in the initial drawings. The student must address the various depths of the image components, working from the background, such as sky, to the foregrounds in space. Slabs are created from traced templates and layered onto the work board. Each slab is scored and slipped on top of the previous slab.
The work is sprayed and wrapped daily to prevent the clay from drying. In this way, pieces can be saved and worked on for months, if necessary. After all the slabs are constructed, parts are cut away and texturing is undertaken. When done, the piece is allowed to dry slowly and is then fired to cone 06. Cold finish with hand painting with acrylic paints completes the project.
Each piece is clearly individualized. The exercise stimulates the students full expression of imagination and innate talent. It instructs in visualization of spatial relationships and fosters learning about color mixing and application techniques.
For this assignment, students were asked to create a utilitarian vessel out of clay using slab construction. Specifically, the piece had to have an opening, something carved out of it, something attached to it, and something stamped upon it.
First, students were required to draw their idea on paper. Then they were asked to construct it out of tag board.
Subsequently, they were to use the tag board parts as templates for making the slab clay components and assemble them together to form their vessel. Kiln firing and glazing followed as needed to complete the work.
Leah, a first-year art student, chose the difficult project of creating a teapot, complete with handle, lid and spout. Her admirable achievement exceeded that of her peers by far. The piece is a parallel companion work for Got Tea?, which I made for a student-teacher exhibition.
This is another clay facade created in response to the assignment described in detail earlier, in which clay slabs are carved and assembled to form a bas relief image. Grace Kiffney, a talented advanced student, wrote that "It took a lot of time to put together all of the clay slabs and to carve in all the details, but in the end I think it paid off." Gratifyingly, her work is indeed a tribute to her skill and perseverence.
This is yet another slab construction clay piece made by Emily Cole in the same manner as the previous works. Its objective was to depict the memorable Taj Mahal. After the initial construction phase was completed, the piece was fired to cone 05. Layers of acrylic paint were then applied to enhance coloration and provide details.
Clay facade of Taj Mahal by Emily Cole, 2011.
