Art Spotlight: EvCC’s Glaze Ceramic’s Class
An in depth look at EvCC’s ceramics program, with insight from students and instructor Thom Lee.
Ceramics instructor, Thom Lee (left), working with student Ann Morgan and others in the ceramics classroom located in White Horse Hall.
EvCC is one of the few schools in the state that teaches a glaze ceramics class. “Glaze is the final part of the ceramic process. It’s what gives color and finish to the work,” explained Thom Lee, the ceramics instructor.
Students sculpt their ceramics projects and can then apply the glaze to the pieces. “This class teaches students about the materials that make up the glazes and how to formulate their own,” said Lee. “The eventual goal is to give students the ability to customize their palette to create personal, professional level work.”
Over the course of the quarter each student develops two of their own glazes, which can then be shared throughout the studio to be applied to different ceramic projects. “We share all of our information here,” said Lee, “someone might make this beautiful green or turquoise, and then we all have access to those recipes.”
Lee has been teaching the ceramics class for 14 years, and offers three different levels that each teach different aspects of glaze ceramics. Artists often draw inspiration from the world, and ceramics is no exception. “I like nature and natural things. I do a lot of plants and fish” said Jessica Mudd an EvCC ceramics student, who found a passion for ceramics last year and now wants to develop her skills in sculpture ceramics.
(From left to right) Jessica Mudd, Andre Marmaduke, Andrew Kaye, Katrina Kennedy, Thom Lee, Ann Morgan, Cynthia C. and Kendra Sensen during their class on Tuesday, March 2 in Whitehorse Hall 287.
Andrew Kaye EvCC ceramics student who has also been doing ceramics for a year said, “It’s the first thing I’ve truly enjoyed doing. The first thing that I feel like I’m talented at, that I also enjoy doing the work for.”
Cynthia C. EvCC ceramics student was first exposed to ceramics through art therapy, and has now been doing it for at least 30 years before she chose to explore it further in school. She said her work is inspired by Irish artwork.
The glaze ceramics class has seven students in it this quarter, more than most quarters which usually have between three to five students. “We all have different goals in this, but we can all learn together,” said Lee. “We have people who come from the art teaching profession, we have people who are looking to make an art career out of it in very utilitarian ways, and then we also have people who are moving toward the fine arts and expressive sort of sculptural sorts of things.”
Having more students in the class has been a good thing according to Lee, “One thing that I love about being the instructor of this class is the fact that we have such a wide variety of work that is happening.”
Check out the gallery below for photos of student made ceramic glazes.
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