PREVIOUS UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE, AND COMMUNITY COURSES TAUGHT
INTRODUCTION TO CLAY CERAMICS
The emphasis of this course is to introduce and guide the students towards the paddle, slab, mold, and pinch with an emphasis on the coil method. Decoration techniques will be introduced with an emphasis in piercing, sgraffito, wax resist, glaze dipping, and oxide painting. The purpose of the main course is to aide the student in understanding beginning ceramic, hand-building techniques.
INTERMEDIATE CERAMICS
Ceramics 210 as a lower division ceramics class for Art majors.
This course is designed to introduce the serious Art major to the problem solving in ceramics. The following techniques will be introduced: Wheel throwing, KLIN Loading, glazing experience, and KLIN firing stages.
GENERAL CERAMICS
The Emphasis of this course is to expose the student to ceramics as an Art Form. In this class, the student must deal with concepts, processes and materials. The concepts must be transformed into functioning ceramic objects. In conjunction with the above concepts, the following techniques will be used. Extension throwing, porcelain clay, body exploring, relief mirror making, faace mold making, Raku exploring.
ADVANCED CERAMICS
Advanced Ceramics is a study of specific materials and/or combinations of materials and techniques. The Advanced student selects the projects and materials. This course is a designed for ceramic majors. Therefore, my role as an instructor changes. The students needs more freedom to think and explore new concepts. When the student reaches this level, they are responsible for seeking information and developing their own concepts. Advance techniques will be used in conjunction with specific materials and combination of materials. The following techniques will be used: Glazing calculations, slip mold casting, clay bodies research and experiments in exploring life size sculpture forms.
TYPES OF FIRING EMPHASIS
Becuase of the gas prices in the United States, I have found it more economical for students to get involved in low firing techniques, as a major part of their firing experience. Because of my involvment and study with many of the world's leading ceramicist like De Staebler, I have developed a series of low firing techniques, designed to give the following effects:
Speckle effect, earth tone matt effect, glaze separation, high relief effect, low firing porcelain effect, low fire waxy white cracking effect, low fire ash effect, low fire Raku, salt engobes effect, and the use of decals and low firing lusters.
1965 Dr. Peter Alexander
RESEARCH IN FUNDAMENTAL AND TECHNOLOGY OF WESTERN CERAMICS
Dr. Alexander, professor of ceramics at Colorado State University. Dr. Alexander was very prolific in relating different ceramics methods to an art form.
Examples: Textures, color, reliefs, designs and shapes. These were some methods that went into his crafts of his other works of art. He talked about the sensitvity that went into an art experience. He also talked about the clay body stages; greenware, bisqueware, earthenware, stoneware, the importance of the firing stages that pieces of pottery goes through, the oxidation or reduction firing, and the importance of how you stack pottery into Kiln for the best results.
1969 Professor Helen Watson
RESEARCH IN THE INTERMEDIATES OF WESTERN CERAMICS
Professor Watson, Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles. She is very prolific in large slab sculptures, large Jamin Coil sculpture, thrown forms and the technological aspects of functional ware. Her large sculpture involve all of these apects in one work of art. I spent four years with Professor Watson. This is where i recieved my Master of Fine Arts Degree.
1971 Shelton Kaganoff
Shelton Kaganoff, U.C.S.B. Ceramics Department, Santa Barbara, CA. Some of Professor Kaganoff's experiences in ceramics were related to the new abstrcact forms of the 70's. This smoke reduction and low fired lusters are an example of this. Pro. Kaganoff is productive in mastering the pottery wheel, especially large pieces. I worked with Professor Kaganoff for eight months.
1975 Professor Dora De Lorios
Understanding architectural related to pottery and mural design-- with a strong Mexican design influence.
Miss de Lorios has taught at many major universities and has done many commissions all across the country. She has had a studio for the last 15 years in Culver City, CA. Dora De Lorios was a student of Susan Peterson. Dora's latest work reflects the strong influence of Indian and Mexican pottery. Her work also influences Mexican positive and negative designs.
Dora has developed a porcelain body and block glaze which the world has never seen. It is related to the old Pueblo and Mexican tradition, just to name a few of her achievements. I was very fortunate to study at Dora's studio for one year.
1976 Stephen Staebler
Stephen De Staebler, San Francisco State University
De Staebler is known for his large monumental life-like forms, abstract forms and largewall murals, all having many natural earthly color clay tones. Upon visiting De Staebler's studio in Berkley, CA, he received me with open arms and adorned me with knowledge he had acquired over the years.
This knowledge included such things as mold making, Kiln building, transporting large works into the Kiln, various mixtures of many color clay bodies. I also recieved strong valid information concerning my own work. As a result of my visit and tutorage, I was able to return to my studio and successfully build my own kiln.
1977 Doyle Lane
Doyle Lane, Student of Carlton Ball, Los Angeles, CA
Doyle Lane is very prolific in the decoration of forms and low fire ash glazes. Mr. Lane had achieved the knowledge of making earthware glazes look like stoneware. It is done through oxidation firing and changing the molecular weight of glazing materials. He introduced to me a whole new outlook on glazing concepts.
1980 Carlton Ball
Carlton Ball, Head of Ceramics Department
Carlton Ball is very knowledgeable of the varied phase of ceramics. Professor Ball was very helpful to me in the research of form related to forms, and extension throwing of large totem sculpture. He also assisted me with glazing experimentations.
1980 RESEARCH INTO DECAL RELATED TO CERAMICS
Marsha Johnson, Ceramiscist, Grant High School, Van Nuys, CA
New experiments into Decal and special glaze effects. Miss Johnson has worked and experimented over the last seven years in Decal decoration. I spent one summer in her studio in Los Angeles. This information and experience was very valuable in the growth of my work.
OTHER RELATED FIELDS OF ART
I have coordinated workshops and lectures related to the Universities and college courses: Printmaking, painting, basic sculpturing, Introduction to Art History, African Art History and Art Appreciation. I have taught the above subjects at the following universities and art centers: Lectured Afro American Studies, Cal State Deminquez, 1980-1981, Workshop, Black Studies Department, Cal State University, Long Beach, lectured 1979-82. Ethnic Lectured and Workshop, Watts Tower's Art Center. Lecture and Workshop, Studio Watts Workshop, 1978-1979.
OTHER RELATED CERAMICS RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
1. Changing of the form -- 1980, Pasadena City College. Demonstration by Professor Peter Voulkos. I was introduced to the thrown and paddled hand built and assembling sculptures.
2. Pueblo Indian Pottery Technique, 1979 demonstration at U.S.C., Maria Martinez. Several concepts Maria used later influenced my design concepts in relief scultputre.
3. Raku demonstrated, 1972, Otis Art Institute, Paul Soldner. Several Raku concepts were discussed with Mr. Soldner that i later used in my teaching and professional career.
4. Yvonne Tucker, Demostration in Raku smoke reduction, 1975, Florida University. This demonstration in Raku started a series of engobes reproduction in my work.
5. Research on under colors technique and wheel throwing.
A. Micheal Frinkess - Venice, CA.
B. Susan Peterson - Mills college
C. Bernard Leach's - his book
D. Shoji Hamdi - his book
E. Deniel Rhodes - his book