WHAT'S INSIDE YOUR BOX?

SLAB BOXES WITH PAPER COLLAGE INLAY

CERAMICS I

clay, glazes, oxides, Modge Podge & tissue paper

The last couple of years I've been requiring the kids to carve out key spots in their slab boxes 

so that after they come out of the glaze firing the students can paper collage into those areas.

But we also want to check out how cool the box constructions are themselves.

Like junior Annie Oh.

She picked the most difficult subject to construct her box to.

I honestly wasn't sure she'd be able to pull it off.

But she did!

Thought she did lose a couple of teeth,

I love that they fell off during the glaze firing and feel into the melted glass shards.

Couldn't have planned that any better.

Annie put her Paper Collage along the mouth lip

because she chose to forego carving out an area.

These next two beauties belong to juniors Andy Hou and Nathan Lam.

These boxes are fairly challenging constructions 

because they have a tendency to crack apart at the seams 

when drying out or during the firing process.

So kudos to you two for pulling these off thru the bitter end!

Andy has shaped this lovely form using marbled clays,

our Artic White & Cafe Cinco from Aardvark in Santa Ana.

They've been my go to Ceramics store for the past 40 years beginning in my college years.

Both are great Cone 5 bodies which fire to 2150 degrees,

making these clay bodies watertight, airtight and sanitary.

You can even put it into the dishwasher, microwave and steam with it on the stovetop.

I really like how the paper Nathan collaged down looks like it's morphing directly from the clay.

He has also created some great textural elements in the clay's surface.

Cuz what do I always say you guys?

"It's all about surface design!"

Then senior Frances Lee created this ginormous form.

At least 8" by 8",

going above and beyond the 5" by 5" I was asking for.

And love how she worked to this asymmetrical form.

So interesting to the eye!

Also check out her paper collage, 

found inside her box.

Clever girl!