Ceramics students investigate the medium of clay from functional and sculptural points of view. Projects use functional forms such as platters and cups to teach a wide variety of hand building and decorating techniques, sculptural projects expand on and combine these techniques for deeper exploration of the material and processes. The study of historic and contemporary art and craft provide stimuli for the development of the student’s personal artistic expression. Students use terra cotta, porcelain and stoneware clays and fire in various types of kilns including wood, salt, soda, gas, and electric.

Facilities

After nearly fifty years in one campus location, Eastern Michigan University Ceramics has moved to a renovated facility next door to the Sculpture Building on the northwestern edge of campus. The new facility has more space, more rooms, more shelving, and more light. The move puts the Ceramics studio nearer to its outdoor kiln yard (behind the Sculpture building) which includes a newly built soda kiln, along with existing salt and wood kilns.

The studio includes a large room for hand building (with plenty of storage for student work), a throwing area with more than a dozen wheels, a large glaze room, a kiln room with electric kilns and a Geil gas kiln, a separate clay making area with mixers and supplies, a large room for graduate students, an office/library, and a photo set up.