Friday, May 4, 2007

POTTERY CLASS



One of the classes in University I took as part of my Art Curricula was Pottery -Ceramics. it was a serious class. The Instructor , besides teaching ceramic techniques in working with clay, All types of clay. But included in the class, a sort of necessary science of mixing and creating various glazes. We, the students I mean, all made several types of objects of clay. I made three 'pinch pots'. Everyone who starts out does this. We were then able to go and make some things that were more complicated. I made a three sided vase and a tri sided fairy light for my Mom. All I have left are the three small 'pots'. I cherish them because, that semester, my Mom drove the nine hours by herself to come and to be with me for awhile. The girlfriend I had grown up with, and I and another young woman at this time were renting a three bedroom house. Really nice. Two baths. So plenty of room. My room had twin beds.
I was Mom's only friend and my Kid brother was being a real brat. And fighting constantly with Mom and Dad. I was glad Mom had somewhere she could go.
She came during the week and I had classes to attend. I did not want her to have to stay by herself. So, I called the college and told them about it and asked them if I could have her come to my classes with me. They said certainly. Just inform the instructor as I went in. The teacher was surprised to see someone who was so close to her Mother. One of the classes was my Ceramics Class. Mom got to see me working. I made two pieces later for Mom. One was a fairy light. The other was a vase. Those were later destroyed an 1 year old nephew. In another art class, I introduced her to my favorite instructor, Anna Ballarian. Mom really enjoyed going with me. It was very nice that Mom got to see me attending college. She felt really a part of it. As though she was attending school along with me.
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So, I keep the silly looking pots as a loving memoir of that time.

2 comments:

LauraHinNJ said...

Oh those are pretty - I like the brown one and can just see it in a prominent spot with a few shells or something in it.

I never took a class like that - my brothers did in high school and brought home some of the strangest looking objects!

I'll bet your Mom was glad to go along with you. Had she been to college herself?

My dad always said he wanted to come and sit in on one of the classes I was teaching, but I never gave him the opportunity - think I would have been too embarrassed!

kerrdelune said...

(Sigh) I loved all my early attempts at throwing pots, and the uneven ways in which I tended to apply glazes. If my ship ever comes in, I shall purchase a kiln and start over. (Of course I shall need another house big enough for a studio.)