BLINDFOLDED

2012 Alumni and best friends Alyssa Olea and Alex Tudor 

are taking a ceramics throwing class at Cypress College (my alma mater),

and are in the process of learning to throw on the potter's wheel.

One of the techniques the instructor uses is to have them blindfold each other 

to practice all the steps and to reinforce them in the brain.

Alyssa was my clay student back in the day and went thru 2 years of ceramics with me.

And since her graduation she has been assisting me in my classroom

loading kilns, mixing glazes, hanging art walls, entering my grades into the computer and helping to prep all the classes I teach everyday.

I don't know how I ever did it all without her..

She is hoping to one day take over for me when I retire and is currently in art school.

Both she and Alex were anxious about being blindfolded but ended up really enjoying the process,

and recommended I try it with my clay students.

I have a group of five 2nd year students that are also just learning to throw,

so I think I will offer extra credit if they give it a try and actually get a pot.  

Alyssa is in deep right brain here feeling her way thru all the steps.

I'm thinking of trying this myself.

I'm really curious about it.

Most of their pots they threw that night.

Happy girls,

and very cool pot Alex!

TAKING THE PLUNGE

EXTRA CREDIT

CERAMICS I

potter's wheel & clay

These brave young pups are giving the potter's wheel a try for their very first time.

Here are junior Simi Doshi and sophomore Olivia Krueger centering their clay.

For my Ceramics I kids, 

the potter's wheel is not a requirement,

it's an extra credit op. if they can make a pot,

but they had to have finished their current assignment required assignment first.

However,

in Ceramics II it is a requirement to learn how to throw.

Senior Sarah Chang starts next Monday.

I demonstrate the wheel for my beginners about 3 weeks into the First Quarter,

and then the brave ones usually give it a try.

But it's a really hard global skill to learn,

and sadly they have not tried again.

So it looks like it's time for me to demo. again to get their interest back up.

Here are the proud creators of the two beauties on the bat.

Seniors Marjorie Balaoro and Brian Aguirre-Hernandez actually were able to get something resembling a pot for their first time.