Eat, Drink and Be Merry: Designing Pots for Utility and Serving

Course Description

Summary

Previously titled Set the Table: Tableware Design; Eat, Drink and Be Merry: Designing Pots for Utility and Serving is a new course. In this class, we will explore similar pottery forms while broadening our understanding of where these pots function beyond the Western cultural idea of the “table.” Throughout history, pots for utility and serving have expressed a specific time and place. In this way, utilitarian objects embody the ideas that define culture. For this class, intermediate and advanced ceramic students will produce prototypes that are a thoughtful response to this problem. The emphasis will be on designing compelling pots rather than producing many matching sets. Students will combine throwing, coil building, slab building, and simple molds to make their pieces. Discussions will address the work's formal and conceptual issues, including design and functionality. The culmination will be a feast at the end of the term where each student brings food appropriate for the pots they designed.