Today was the second day of a four day ceramics art class for 6-8 year olds. At the end of class yesterday, I asked students to draw several monsters on a piece of paper after we had cleaned the studio of our clay projects. Without much prompting, I did see several sketches of
Monsters Inc. characters. Normally, I encourage students to deviate from popular imagery and try to steer them toward a more original idea. I usually help students accomplish this by asking them to change or modify something on their drawing that represents their own ideas. We practiced coil and pinch pot hand building techniques today to construct our monster mugs and gnome homes.
In starting the monster mugs, students used the pinch pot method to form the basic structure of a mug. Next, I showed them how to "weld" additive clay pieces on from all angles to make sure they don't fall off or break as they dry. Students were then encouraged to add monster facial features like eyes, nose, mouth, ears, horns, teeth, etc. Most students departed from their original plans on paper to create more unique pieces.
After a short break and hunting for hidden gnomes in the garden, my class and I made sketches and discussed what kinds of natural materials would make good homes for gnomes. Students were able to think of tree stumps, mushrooms, rock piles and woven grass as potential house structures for a small creature. Using what we learned from our monster mugs, students began coiling a basic clay structure for the walls of the house. Next they cut out windows and doors and needed to decide on the best way to construct a roof. I showed students how to roll out a slab and then cut it into natural, organic shapes, like leaves to sculpt a roof for their gnome homes. After roofs were built students could then add any other details to their homes, such as chimneys, mailboxes, sidewalks, etc.
For tomorrow's class we will be painting some air-dry clay pieces to construct mobiles and necklaces. The weather in Door county right now is very hot and humid, so I am worried about students' clay pieces being dried and fired on time. Have only a few hours and four classes does not give us as much time as we would like, but that's how art teachers learn to be resourceful, inventive, and flexible.
Yesterday I finished teaching a four day summer camp of ceramics for kids in Door County, Wisconsin. While the temperature rose to 92 degrees, we lethargically had a glaze-a-thon for the slump mold bowls, the monster mugs, and our gnome homes. Since the ceramics summer camp was only Monday through Thursday afternoons, there was not enough time to allow our stoneware projects to dry before firing them. What we do then, is use underglazes to add color to the clay. Students and families then have the option to pick up the finished artwork next week, or the Peninsula Art School will ship the projects home to the art students who will no longer be in Door County. What's nice about this set up is I don't need to stay later to fire the student projects, but that also means I don't get to see the final results.
As I started class with the students, I explained to them that we would be glazing our stoneware projects, the slump mold bowls, monster mugs, and gnome homes. We talked about how painting and glazing are different and the students had all heard of a kiln before too. I tried to emphasize to students that there should be no clay spots showing through the colored underglazes they chose to use on each project. 
We started with the slump mold bowls first. I showed students how to get the glaze into the designs they carved into the surface of the bowl. We then took a sponge and cleaned off the extra glaze on the higher surface areas of the bowl and glazed that with a different color. After getting some practice on the bowls, which we did first, since it was the simplest surface area to paint, we started on the monster mugs and then moved to the gnome homes which also make great candle holders. For students who finished early, we used some of the air dry clay to make some inhabitants for the gnome homes. Since it was the last thing we did, I gave parents and students some tips for painting air dry clay at home with a variety of paints. Parents were appreciative of the activities we had engaged in during the week. For a total of 10 hours of art this week, students made mobiles, bowls, mugs, and gnome homes and were good workers all week. It was a treat to work with motivated young artists throughout the week and I can't wait to return next year.
