Ceramics
The emphasis area bases its program in the conviction that clay is a viable medium for contemporary expression. Along with early training in fundamental skills and a traditional understanding of ceramics materials, we encourage you to begin creating a visual vocabulary that best reflects you as an artist. To deepen your experience you will take classes that focus on low-fire/high-fire, handbuilding/wheelthrowing, glaze calculation, mold making and kiln building. The area also offers History of Ceramics and an interdisciplinary degree with Sculpture Intermedia entitled Cross 3D Focus. As the oldest ceramics program in the inter-mountain west we provide a strong connection with history and a critical look at contemporary issues. Our goal is to develop well-rounded artists with uniquely personal visions.
The facilities are exceptional. The large, high-ceilinged studios offer great work spaces to explore every possibility of ceramic art making. Well-lit, air-conditioned studios, with an abundance of natural light, have wonderful views of the snow-capped Wasatch Mountains. The throwing room has over thirty wheels, adjacent walk-in damp room and access to an outside kiln area. A separate hand-building room has work space for large pieces, storage areas, Fredrickson side opening electric kiln, extruder and slab roller.
Other areas include a dry materials/mixing room with Laguna and Bluebird mixers, pug mill and ventilation system, glaze weighing room with balance scales, several small electric test kilns and ball mill, glaze application area with studio glazes, large sink and walk-in spray booth. An interior kiln area houses most of our everyday work kilns including an Olsen-24, Alpine-30, Denver Fire Clay updraft, as well as two downdrafts including a Giel 30cf car kiln and five top-loading electric kilns. The exterior kiln yard holds a Raku car kiln, Olsen fast=fire wood kiln, a catenary downdraft and a new sprung arch soda kiln. Plaster room inludes working tables, scales and a slip mixer. Over 300 square feet of graduate studio space with a glass, north-facing window is allotted by need. If you wish to include mixed media with ceramics or want to expand your ideas into a different medium, you will find associated areas to facilitate your needs, such as a professionally equipped wood shop, welding and foundry shop, small metals shop and a tool room with an extensive range of hand tools.
Emphasis Area Requirements and Four-Year Plan
- Ceramics major and plan
- Ceramics minor