Capital High School Ceramics is available to all students as an elective and has an intro level as well as an Advanced run by Mr. Kraves. If you are interested in art, and creative thinking, ceramics is the place for you. Throughout the year, you get to work on independent projects that make you think in a creative sense. For the Introduction to Ceramics, you will have several projects spaced out throughout the year.
First Semester, you will work on building a Cardboard house with lots of features and textures, and then you will move on to your first basic item called a Pinch Pot. This is made out of clay and takes the form of something similar to a Chia Pet. Next, you will have a pattern box that you make with a strong theme, that then moves into a piggy bank and then a hero figurine that you finish out the year with.
If you decide to move into advanced ceramics, you get a chance to make more projects that you get to choose on your own. You also are allowed to become more experienced in the wheel, which you may have seen somewhere if you know anything about pottery.
In my Third Period ceramics class, we have one advanced student. This student has gone above and beyond in their artwork and plans to pursue ceramics for fun in the future. When Interviewing this student, Charlotte Walk, I asked “What is your favorite piece that you have made in Ceramics?” Charlotte replied, “My Favorite piece is my paper that I just made, which isn’t a normal ceramics project. Being in the ceramics room, I wanted to take advantage of doing multi-media projects like the other advanced students have been doing.” This creation is just one of the many pieces that Charlotte and others have been able to explore and create on their own.
Not only do you have independence in the room, but you have the opportunity to explore making new creations. Since Charlotte has worked on so many projects, I decided to ask Mr. Kraves what the course of the year looks like for advanced students.
“The advanced ceramics class is very independently focused. Usually, when we start we will have two assignments across the entire year that I designate specifically. Usually, the first project is something that I find interesting and want the students to try out, such as projects with resins, woods, etc. The second project usually is designated specifically for arts night. Every advanced student will be required to submit at least one piece, specifically towards arts night itself. Other than those two projects, everything else is self-driven. If a student has an idea, they write a proposal and they are then responsible to make sure everything is finished when it is due.”
Throughout the year, students can collaborate with others and draw up their creativity through the projects they make come to life. We have made so many amazing, fun projects this year. I suggest this class for any students who like to be independent, and creative.