Mallory Shanahan
Ceramics 1
Mustache Man Mug
This mug was the first project we worked on in Ceramics. Being new to the idea of clay and making objects out of it, made this project very complicted. I used the slab technique, as well as toothpicks for scoring, and many more tools that I was provided with. I enjoyed this very much! My whole idea was to make my mug look like a person! Also, when you drink it, it makes you look like you have a mustache. My piece took a while to create, but it was definitely worth it in the end.
The Leaning Tower of Cups
This project was probably my favorite! We had a wider range of options, we could make anything related to food or shelter. I didnt want to be like everyone else and just make a cup or plate. I wanted to make several things, like a set. I chose to have a saucer plate with three cups on it! I decided to make the cups lean against eachother. My project was unique and enjoyable to create.
Critique #1
The ceramic piece below shows a lot of emotion. At a first glance you get a very ashamed, depressed feeling within the statue. A gesture of hands being behind the back usually means authority, but his hands could be tied together! If your hands are tied you have no authority. It leaves us with suspicion. The man having his head down shows sadness. The artist has created a lot of emotion in one piece of art! A ton of detail is shown with the structure on his body. He looks like he is standing behind a tree, but standing on some type of platform; you would think he would be on something that looked more like grass or a rock. This piece is wonderfully made!
Critique #2
This piece by Josh DeWeese is very abstract! He states, "I don’t generally characterize my style as aligning with a current movement. I believe my work is rooted in the idea of pottery, drawing and an exploration of ceramic phenomena." The way he used the top as a "branch" or "fire" looking design has unique written all over it. The random lines down the side and dots on the bottom of the pot are not very precise. They look like they were just put there, no effort is shown. I like how he added visual shapes within the top, such as the circle. Deweese has a lot of personality in this pot!