Third Thursdays AMC Open Studios: Ceramics Edition
By ANNIE WERNERFELT ‘20
On Thursday night, aspiring potters of Milton Academy convened in the bottom of the AMC for a crash course in ceramics. Mr. McDermott, who ran the class, teaches the 3-D studio courses. He is currently teaching ceramics, sculpture, and 3-D design, in addition to the advanced levels in those classes and a section of Class IV Art. He said he decided to run the Thursday class because, “[the art] department designed monthly events as a way to invite the Milton community into our studios and experience a bit of what we do here. We want to showcase the accessibility of our spaces and the creative work we do.” The night started off with a short demonstration by Mr. McDermott, who made the process of creating a clay bowl look easy. However, once they began work, the attendees soon realized the challenge behind this process.
The process begins by taking a slab of clay and molding it into a ball. Then, the artist must press down on the sculpting wheel’s pedal and attempt to center the ball on the wheel. For beginners, centering the ball is one of the most difficult steps to grasp. Once the clay is centered, the artist molds it so that it has straight edges and a pit in the middle. After the pit is in the center, the artist applies pressure to the walls pit and widens the space until the clay resembles a bowl. The participants took about 45 minutes to make smooth and well-shaped bowls. McDermott invited those who succeeded in making visually pleasing pieces to return and add a layer of lacquer, so they could eventually bring them home.
McDermott said that he “truly didn’t know what to expect, but [he] had about 15-16 people come through. It was a perfect size for the event.” He also added that he hopes to get more people interested in ceramics at Milton. “I'm passionate about clay and want to share that with people. I believe it's a great outlet for creativity and a wonderful opportunity for students to challenge their brains in a very different way than in other academic classes here at Milton,” he said. Art courses offer a change of pace which can be more laid back but still challenging part of students’ highly-scheduled academic days. Because of this meaningful change of pace, McDermott encourages all students to consider art courses. Most upperclassmen who have completed their art credit can vouch for the change of pace that results from taking such a course. McDermott also notes that he would like to “encourage students to take advantage of the openness and accessibility of our studios during their time here. I invite everyone to come play with clay or draw or paint in their free time- it will brighten your day!”
This first of 5 sessions comes in the midst of a push by the arts department to get more involvement in their courses. As a result of expansions to the history department last year, most notably the addition Class III U.S. History, enrollment numbers in the art department have decreased. However, these “Third Thursdays AMC Open Studios” are not just open to students; they are also open to faculty members and their families. The next session is on Thursday, November 15th with Ms.Swain, and it will focus on self-portrait painting. Everyone is highly encouraged to come out!