September 16th~ First Art Workshop

I had my first art workshop a few weeks ago.

OK!!! The workshop was AMAZING. For all you clay people, Onggi pottery is way different than traditional American style with scoring and slipping. For those who don't know what that means: there is no water involved when forming the pot. I know crazy. Everyone, here is a youtube link of the making process of these pots over time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twgJ6ZGYrT8

The artist name is Adam Field. He spent 10 months in Korea to master this technique. It is pretty amazing. He said that the process was one of the fastest ways to make a large pot. He never said it was the easiest, and it is so true.

There are more youtube videos on the making of Onggi Pots. The pots are used for storing food.It helps fermentation of foods like soy.

The actual experience on my part was exciting. I sat in the Ceramics studio for 6 hours just watching this guy make these pots and talk about how he uses his techniques for his other works. The design he does on the porcelain pots is amazing. He has a blog called Dirt, if anyone is interested. The way he makes coils is baffling. The way he made the pots reminded me of slabs stacked on one another, then he pinches the clay together like a pinch pot, and then uses the wheel to make the pot smooth and round. The wheel itself is a traditional wheel made out of pine. His tools are water logged wood with leather secured on it. The wholeprocess is traditional, from the way to the pot is made to the way the tools and equipment are arranged. Oh and by the way, the perfect evenness of the pot is all by eye.

Something I learned about life: The process is just as great as the finished project. The process would include the trials, the failures, the thousands of times starting over, the early mornings, the late nights, the constant planning until the goal is reached. Wow. It is something I have been thinking about. I wonder how often I have thought about my art work like that or even life. Like high school, sometimes I felt like I just want to get it done (senioritis).

I have missed ceramics so much. The experience makes me want to get back on the wheel. I cannot wait until I get some free time for class projects. Kick wheel here I come.

I'll be seeing you,