Throughout my four years as an art student here at Marywood, there are a few things I have learned that really stick with me. Today I am specifically talking about breaking rules. For instance, once a painter can paint realistically, compositionally well, and formally correct, the painter can then “properly” break the rules. By this I mean, paint in a less strutted way. What I’m trying to say is, in art, you have to know the rules before you can break them. The same goes for ceramics. In order to grow, I first had to learn how to throw a pot the correct way; in center, with uniform thickness, etc. Now that I’ve become comfortable and able to reproduce these sorts of things, it’s time to break out of my shell a bit. I did so this weekend by throwing a pot, where I was constantly thinking about it’s form.
What I’m trying to say is, in art, you have to know the rules before you can break them.
Form is always important, especially in pottery. I sat down and threw a pitcher, and as I did so, I was constantly thinking about how to make the form as successful as possible. I played with different angles, neck and belly ratios, until I felt I had reached a form that “sang” together. Where the piece felt cohesive. The piece grew even more so when I trimmed the pot. I added a foot to the bottom, and it gave the pitcher a great lift from the base, and is very visually pleasing. I continued to challenge myself by paying more attention to the form and shape my handle created. Instead of pulling a handle like usual, I started off with a squared out coil. I then attached it and added a decorative smear of clay on the joint. I hope to continue to contemplate these things, and break rules while making my art.
