Clay is the most natural and primal element on earth. Its plasticity makes it the most tactile hands-on material in artefact making, while its durability after firing retains a long history of ceramic art in almost all developed cultures. Ceramic artefacts, from shaping of clay to purposed glazing and firing, are completely individualmade, which allows artists to express themselves in this three dimensional medium. Therefore, ceramic art now is treated as traditional craft as well as contemporary art.

 This is a studio course designed to teach students the basic hand-building and throwing techniques involved in constructing and surface decorating ceramic forms, from functional ware to sculpture. It creates a practical basis for addressing perceptual and aesthetic concerns as related to formal concepts such as balance, structure, continuity, texture and the spatial relationship between objects. Students will be encouraged to develop their own means of personal expression while working through assignments based on different ceramic techniques and skills.

By learning special hand-building and throwing techniques, and exploring the physical properties of clay as a hands-on creative material, this course enhances the ability of students to express eloquently their ideas through three-dimensional representation, especially with the transformation to one single material.

Starting from the aspect of function, students have to investigate the cultural significance of these functional wares, the relationship of details and the functions, and also the connection of these object-forms with the makers and users. In addition to learning the skills and process of making functional studio pottery, students will also be taught for creating vessel-form as art form for aesthetic expression. This in the end conducts to non-functional sculptural concepts in clay using hand-building and various decorating techniques. Emphasises will be put on the development of construction skills and an understanding of form/space relation, surface treatment, and firing possibilities.