Upper School Ceramics

Upper School students can take both ceramics minor and ceramics major classes. Ceramics minor classes are introductory level and meet twice a cycle. Ceramics major courses are advanced and meet four times per cycle.

Students are introduced to clay as a medium of expression through hand-building techniques of pinching, coiling, and slab construction. Special attention is given to craftsmanship and the development of aesthetic expression. In both semesters, both terra cotta and stoneware are used, and various techniques of surface decoration are explored. Students will continue to build their visual literacy through class discussions and critiques. 

In advanced classes students intensify the study of ceramics begun in Ceramics Minor. Hand-building is the main focus of the curriculum. Both functional and sculptural projects are assigned in the exploration and development of personal expression. Other important aspects of Ceramics Major include working with a larger variety of different clays, and both oxidation and reduction firing processes. The course will also help students prepare a portfolio for the college admissions process

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