COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will explore the history of ceramics in Oaxaca, Mexico. Oaxaca is known for its beautifully crafted ceramics and is one of the few states in Mexico that maintains the use of handmade pottery in everyday life. Students will participate in discussions and lectures covering art history and contemporary art and its function in society. Students will also develop their skills in classes on hand building and wheel building ceramics, allowing them to better understand design, aesthetics and the cretive development of clay objects as a mode of personal, cultural, and historical expression.

“I loved everything we did – even the academic reflections we did helped me make memories more meaningful.” — Samantha Frawley, Wayland, MA

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• Understand the historical and contemporary uses of art globally as well as locally in Mexico.
• Be able to compare and contrast pre industrial revolution ceramic arts with contemporary ceramic arts as well as historical reproductions.
• Understand the economic factors that affect art production.
• Develop a vocabulary specific to the clay medium and be aware of safety issues involved in working with ceramic materials and techniques.
• Have a familiarity gained through experience and/or an awareness of hand building, wheel work, firing, glazing, and sculpture.

LECTURE TOPICS

• Introduction to Mexican art history
• Oaxacan art history
• Properties of clay
• Table work and hand building
• Wheel work and the art of throwing

What are my next steps?

At a Glance