it's been a busy couple of weeks. School ended this last friday and grades are due on this coming wednesday. Ceramics is always busy at the end of a semester because you are balancing having to work with having to dry things so that they are ready to fire. We had some pretty questionable kiln loads during a couple of those firings--some very moist objects that shouldn't have been fired. But we went slow and got lucky and nobody's shit blew up. I totally thought some of those things were done for--very large, multi-part, heavy objects that need long long time to dry good. I think it helps too that we do low fire so there is less stress on the clay as it fires (1800F compared to 2400F for hi-fire).
Overall I was very pleased with how the students did at the end of the semester. I thought that they really started to practice what I've been trying to teach all semester--take risks, go big, don't worry about the finished product, get out of the comfort zone, and work a lot. Most of the student performance seems to be a function of how good the assignment is. I had some pretty vague assignments, thinking that I wanted to leave them open-ended and let them fill in the blanks. Those didn't seem to work as well as the assignments where I was very specific. It will be fun to try to find a balance between direction and complete freedom. For example, one of the assignments that worked really well was throwing and cutting apart at least 3 six-inch bowls, and then putting them back together to form a pouring vessel. It was about letting go of the "precious object" syndrome that afflicts beginners (by literally making them destroy what they had just made) and also about process and using unlikely means to arrive at your goal. They really dug that one and we saw some really cool projects. An assignment that didn't really work was masks. I just wanted them to make masks, and make them somehow 3-D. That assignment sucked. I thought there was limitless cool shit that could've been done, but most of them just completely did the minimum (mr. potatohead-style parts assembly: nose, lips, eyes, ears--stuck on a round thing: bla!).
This last thursday we had an alma open house/graduation ceremony for 6 seniors that were graduating early. the open house part was an exhibition of artwork that had been done throughout that semester. the culinary program served or-dervs (I took french and I can't spell that), the film class had screenings, and the art classes tried to sell shit. my class put out about 150 pots of various sizes. We got really good feedback from the teachers, especially on the volume of work. I guess the previous ceramics teachers didn't come from the production-style environment that I came up in. I felt like a slavedriver, but the compliments are always nice. We sold about 50 objects and grossed around $330, with 20% going to an Alma end-of-year art award and 80% going to the student artists.
I also put some of my work on display upstairs. I sold one fucking mug for 10 fucking dollars and was a little disappointed about that, especially when I saw a few teachers dropping $50 or more on student work. Oh well, the mug I sold went to a real live potter so that was good. Maybe the world just ain't ready for my heat yet. Yeah right. In truth I think it just wasn't the right crowd and we didn't have good flow going by my area. that's what I keep telling myself. Anyways, little charlie, if you can still read, I"m not going to be able to afford that operation for you like I promised. stay strong.
It looks like I'll be getting my request of two classes next semester, ceramics 1 and 2. Hopefully we get enough kids signing up to have both classes. I'll also continue to help Amy out in a new AP english class. Of course all of this is pending completion of the schedule, which our lovely admins have yet to do. I've rarely seen such disorganization. Makes it tough to plan things, no?
Overall, in conclusion, lastly, it was a good semester, a very very fast semester (but this is in keeping with the general acceleration of time as I get older). I think I had some really good relationships with a few of the students and there were many days where I felt lucky to have that job, even if I don't get paid shit. I think some kids definitely got the ceramics bug thanks to my efforts or maybe they were going to get it at some point anyways. But we have to take small credit where we can sometimes. And no one will fail my class except that girl that stopped coming to school in november.
funny thing one kid said to me (somehow everyone knows I'm a vegetarn, and everyone thinks it's hilarious to offer me meat to eat or to ask if I'll eat this or that meat product--the answer is no, fuckwad, because I'm veggie): "Joe, do you eat animal crackers?"
listening: neil young live rust. really great grungy long solos. bossa nova. my second career will be a bossa nova guitarist. thom yorke solo--very underrated, brilliant.
watching: five obstructions, lars von trier--great film about artistic constraints and process. wheel of time--werner herzog documentary about tibetan buddhists and their crazy ass shit!
oh yeah one more thing, there was a teacher party on friday and it was fun as hell! everyone was drunk! swearing like sailors! It was like a mullet--business in front, party out back. I see these people every day and many of them are very teachery (awkward clothing, authoritative demeanor, very high decorum), but man come end of semester time hoo! I haven't seen so much booze at a party since we filled up jesse's entire downstairs fridge last winter. Gin, tequila, vodka, beer, wine--and it was moving too! I think we're going to start having staff meetings at the bar because we were really communicating! I played piano towards the end of the night and we did dirty versions of christmas carols (good king fuckin wensaslas da da da da da da!). I also played meloncollie, which is sans voce instrumental and some counselor's husband started belting out weird ass lyrics about being drunk on christmas. I also witnessed the worst, most drunken toast I've ever seen, given by the maintenance guy. People were cracking up and it was supposed to be sincere.
minneapolis coming soon. thai food, snow, thai, good chinese, maybe some sushi. wait, am I going to asia? no we just don't have any good asian restaurants here in cruches. see you soon twin town.
ta
