The ceramics curriculum encompasses many aspects of the medium, from the creation of unique clay vessels that satisfy both aesthetic and functional needs to the construction of larger scale sculptural forms, and the speculative, expansive, unnamed form.
Ceramic classes emphasize clay as an expressive medium while offering a concise three-dimensional art experience for the uninitiated. Traditional and contemporary methods of construction, manipulation, and imagery are explored, with an emphasis on seeking the integration of form, design, color and concept. The history of the ceramic arts is seen as a rich resource from which the student can test art precedents within their own cultural context, address contemporary art concepts, and expand their own aesthetic vocabulary.
Students are introduced to numerous forming methods such as coil and slab construction, throwing, clay figure modeling, bas relief and tile making design, and mold making and slip casting, as well as a wide variety of glazing and kiln firing techniques. There are typically three classes in Clay offered each semester, providing each student space to work and store their three dimensional projects. The Clay program has over 100 students per year.
Nicholas Wood, is a multi-media artist and has been exhibiting his artwork for over 35 years in a number of media, including clay sculpture, collage, drawing, mixed media sculpture, painting, photography, and site-specific installations. He has created public artworks in Bad Konigshofen, Germany, San Francisco, California, and Arlington & Dallas, Texas. He is also an independent curator of nine exhibitions, most recently Layered, Stacked, Assembled, Arlington Museum of Art and OBJECTification, The Gallery at UTA.
His recent exhibitions include: First This/First That, Angelo State University Gallery, San Angelo TX; So Tiny, University of Central Arkansas; High Voltage, William Campbell Contemporary Art, Tangents & Adjustments-Drawings/Sculptural Objects, Ft. Worth Community Arts Center; Nicholas Wood: Sculpturen und Zeitungs, Galerie Palais Walderdorff, Trier Germany; Der Zeitgenosse, Easter Washington University Art Gallery; Material/Object, Gallery 414, Ft. Worth, TX; Nicholas Wood-Recent Works, Creative Arts Center, New Haven, Connecticut; “capsulated…mostly”, Langdon Center for the Arts, Granbury, Texas; TX/OK Art Prize, Wichita Falls Museum...
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The various methods of construction, manipulation, and decoration of clay. The integration of form, design, and concept, emphasizing clay as an expressive medium. Prerequisite: ART 1306. For non-art majors, permission of the instructor.
Continuation of ceramic media techniques and forming processes. The introduction of moldmaking, mold forming, slipcasting, tile design, kiln firing, and glaze techniques. Prerequisite: ART 3363 or permission of the instructor.
Further development and focus on techniques and personal expression in sculptural, hand-built, and wheel thrown clay forms. Continuation of kiln firing, moldmaking, slipcasting, and glazemaking. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: ART 3363 or permission of the instructor.
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