Ceramics class resumed.

Fascinating first evening back at the ceramics class.

Made a card mock-up of the building I wish to produce and then discussed it with Pauline the excellent teacher.

I have fairly strong views on what makes a good teacher. I don't think those views are based on narrow or rigid rules.

Basically, Pauline deals effortlessly with a variety of standards of student competence. Into the mix one has to add that each student has their own distinctive aesthetic opinions and wishes about what they want to make.

She matches up all these factors to facilitate a happy class wherein each student moves forwards in their desired fashion.

Anyway, her comments about the mock-up were that instead of realising all the features of the building only in clay, we could take a multi-media approach.

Here's the mock-up.

There are several structural issues to consider but I'll deal only with one of them today: window frames.

Consider this:

Pauline suggested that we could have hollowed out windows and back them with a thin sheet of clear plastic. I thought it would be time consuming carving out all these frames and also wondered whether the clay would be strong enough to form the thin verticals and horizontals of each frame.

Her solution was to cut out the entire outline of the frame and then, once fired, insert individual frames made of something other than clay.

Step1:

Step 2:

Then, once the clay is dry but before firing one fits the cut-out back in to the aperture so that the whole piece keeps its shape whilst in the kiln.

Step 3:

Once fired (and cooled down) one removes the clay insert and fits some kind of window frame.

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Listening to:

A variety of recordings by Daniel San:

I've no idea what the connection is between the artist and the above cover. Seems he might come from New Zealand.