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Inspecting Traditions, Dan Yitzhak Gabber

Theses

In this paper I examine my thesis body of work, Inspecting Traditions. This paper illuminates my process of making Jewish objects through the use of digital fabrication techniques. The work in Inspecting Traditions uses historically Jewish forms as a lens in which to speak about the history of ceramics and its relationship to 21st century technology. This work developed a dialogue between the historical sources and modern technology by using 3D printing to create vessels.

Infinite Edges, Yagmur Akarsu

Theses

This thesis work focusses on an experimental approach to ceramic sculptures that uses everyday disposable materials as a basis and are incorporated with clay to sculpt abstract forms. Materials used for the sculptures were napkins, textured paper, bread, different kinds of sponges and recyclable paper plates.

The supplies that people use and take for granted, without realizing how important they are, refer symbolically to a variety of cultural traditions. Traditions create a structure that makes life easier. However, people are so used to them they forget how integrated they are in our lives and ways of thinking and reacting. These …

Daily Artefact: A Record Of Making And Maker, Aprille Nace

Theses

Reacting to the inherent qualities of clay this thesis is an exploration into how mass, color, expressionistic textures, quiet neutral planes, and the materiality of clay can embody extreme contradiction and tension in abstract ceramic sculpture. The body of work begins as a massive blank canvas awaiting my response of the moment. Each form is acted upon differently but holds in common a stretching of the expressivist potential of clay. This exploration is driven by my struggles with the extreme highs and lows of bipolar disorder.

That was the premise of my thesis before I began working on it. As …

No Beginning And No End, Ryan Arthur Florey

Theses

This thesis describes the realization of my art, created with the intention to project into a plastic medium the story of an ancient artifact, a weather-beaten stone, or a plant responding to stress in its environment. It describes the evolution of my inspiration and thought over the course of my graduate career, as well as, the various ancient cultures, artifacts, and traditions of making that I have found to be rooted in similar inspiration, and which have helped to guide the progression of my works.

Inside And Outside, Dan Xue

Theses

In this thesis, I will focus on sculptural ceramic vessels. I regard the vessel not only as a physical object but also a container carrying memories, imaginations, and emotions. I use the vessel as a metaphor to relate to one person, one object, and one phenomenon, the way I see it.

The thesis aims to explore the connections between what has happened in the past and what is happening now for a fuller understanding of self. Memory is an important subject matter for me. I believe life is not chronological, while the memory of what happened in the past and …

Indoor Garden, Yuge Wang

Theses

A garden has a similar meaning in different cultures which is an expression of an individual’s or culture’s philosophy. It also has a long history in China. In the past, each Chinese scholar had an intimate garden which was a reflection of their inner world. But this garden culture was tightly connected with the lifestyle at that time. Many people living in modern society feel that they have lost their attachment to a traditional garden, which is too far away from daily life and only can be appreciated in a picture album. As a person who has a great interest …

Assembly Language, Joe S. Lee

Theses

“Assembly Language” is a culmination of an exploration, through the medium of ceramics, in understanding complexity that arises through the interactions between simple components.

In the realm of computer science, the term “Assembly Language” refers to a low-level programming language for any programmable digital device. It is typically just one step above writing in the raw ones and zeros of binary. Every program at some point needs to be translated into assembly language so that it can be understood by the device, and every program that has ever been written for a digital device is essentially composed of a series …

Line Drawing, Structure Clay Clay Lines Sculpture, Josh Wagner

Theses

Line is the most simplistic element in art; it has often been viewed as only a two dimensional element. However, I am concerned with the articulation of line in space and how it is used to produce sculpture. Through the use of simplistic linear elements I created complex sculptures. Positive and negative space along with the way in which the sculptures inhabited my exhibition space was very important to me.

Traditionally clay is used to make very substantial pieces that are usually solid or hollow. My structures, however, are rather fragile and linear, making clay a challenging and perhaps interesting …

Dilemma, Yeliz Okdem Ates

Theses

I am currently exploring ways to express the spiritual essence of the space between life and death afterlife. As an artist I have always been interested in nature and animals, however birds have an intense personal connection to me. Of personal interest is the common childhood hobby of folding paper into abstract and stylized forms. This inspiration for the work comes from traditional origami, a technique I will modify through ceramic sculpture. Some of my previous works are also related to origami. I used plaster slabs to make models and molds. I find that the stylization of folding paper in …

The Long Walk, Joe Columbia

Theses

The “Long Walk” is the concept for my body of work consisting of a group of items that tell a visual story about life and metaphorical transcendence. There are common processes used to make the work with changes in materials, surface, and form that give each sub body of work its individual character and meaning. The vessels I created are based on historical research of funerary urns modified in design, and material to explore what makes a vessel transcend its utilitarian design and become a metaphor for life. Ultimately this exploration led me to look within myself for the answer …

Creation Of A Curatorial Plan For The Rit Archives: A Case Study Of The Frans Wildenhain Ceramic Collection, Alexander Nacca

Theses

Professionals in museums, archives, and libraries have a responsibility to maintain the quality of their collections so that the general public and scholars can enjoy and benefit from them. As such, any institution that holds, or displays objects for any period of time should have a curatorial plan in place that describes the necessary care, conservation, and preservation of those items. Without such a plan, museum professionals and their collections suffer. This thesis recognizes the importance of such documentation. In the absence of a curatorial care plan for the Wildenhain Ceramic Collection, I have created one. This collection is housed …

Order Through Chaos, Joshua Woof

Theses

The basis of this thesis is to create a visual body of work that explores the relationship between humans and nature. The imagery for this work is influenced by the nostalgic memories of nature's ephemeral qualities and natural phenomena. I want my work to reference places I have been, seen, and touched- places that had a profound impact on my spirit. By recreating these experiences, I am able to reflect and respond in new ways with my environment. I communicate these experiences using formal sculptural language, rather than recreating nature itself. I create organic, abstracted forms to represent nature through …

“Within”, Christine M. Caswell

Theses

"Within" is my investigation into the relationship between interior and exterior spaces. I explore the mystery of the inner hidden spaces, both physical and metaphorical. I draw inspiration from organic forms, particularly the body and transitions from outer surfaces to internal spaces. My sculpture is not intended to be a literal representation of the body or other natural forms but instead remains abstract and ambiguous. Outer surfaces curl and fold to become inside spaces; openings reveal hidden structure within.

The sculptures constructed for the thesis exhibition are hand built utilizing primarily coil construction. Each piece was constructed with a particular …

Propencity, Alissa Barbato

Theses

I am interested in developing ceramic sculpture that explores the dynamics of group behavior and how the perception of an individual drastically changes if there are a thousand versus one. Thematically, I am equally interested in exploring how and why people come together. Another topic I will investigate is how the environment affects their interaction. Finally, I will consider the affect on an individual when encountering a large mass of individuals.

I will establish a visual vocabulary of ceramic forms to abstractly represent individuals in the groups. These sculptures will range in size but will mostly be on a small, …

Fabrication Of Micro Pillar Arrays Via Aerosol Jet Printing, Akanksha Umrani

Theses

Direct write printing is one of the evolving technologies that can be used to fabricate 3D structures such as ceramic micro-pillars. Direct write printing processes can print high resolution structures in the micron or sub-micron range. These structures find their applications in 3D Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), ultra-sound and thermal imaging, heat exchangers and solid oxide fuel cells. The present research is focused on fabrication of vertical ceramic micro-pillars using the Aerosol Jet direct write printing process for enhancing the aspect ratio of the pillars. Aerosol Jet printing offers flexibility with respect to ink compositions as compared with fabrication techniques …

Traversing Truth And Decay, Zak Helenske

Theses

Traversing Truth and Decay is a reaction to the constant flux of industrial entropy, creative syntropy, and the cyclical tendencies of society and nature alike. Decay feeds new potentials in all facets of life. Using cast iron, raw clay, soda fired ceramics, and found objects, I strove to harness lost forms of released energy. In their moment of vulnerability, these different materials reacted with similar chaotic physical tendencies and became reflective of one another. Similarly, when social structures find themselves exposed to dilapidation and ruin, patterns repeat themselves. Versatility, adaptation, and instinct fall to decay and submit in exhaustion to …

White Trash, Heather Law

Theses

White Trash, is body of work that aims to reflect upon our personal role and contribution to the solid waste stream through routine consumption and waste disposal. From everything we eat and drink, to the refuse we flush down the drain, we all consume resources. Living in a materially saturated, mass-consumer society, we have evolved into an increasingly disposable culture. By identifying with our waste production, we then can better evaluate the pitfalls of our materialistic ways. Common consumer products stuffed inside a toilet creates a recognizable waste pattern found within the domestic household. Our trash is considered pollution. Once …

Specimen, Mary Richardson

Theses

Ideas of human interaction and levels of physical construction touched upon in geometry and physics have saturated my practice for many years. Having come from a small town in Virginia and moving to a big city like Chicago, I was confronted with massive amounts of people, ideas, cultures, and stimuli of which I had never before conceived. I realized that how we interact as people is a similar dynamic found in molecular interaction. This same interaction takes place in celestial formation, plant growth, decomposition, and even emotion. As I came to terms with my own presence in the world, my …

Archive, Melissa Moody

Theses

Growing up in a home with many objects from the past, I began to take an interest in my family's past, first speaking with my parents and grandparents, and then exploring as many old family photographs as I could. I saw many familiar faces at different points in time, and learned the names of those I had never seen before, realizing they too, were family. I was also struck by the mystery these photographs represented. They were products of another era, an older technology. As such, time had visibly acted upon them. The images themselves had become vague, abstracted by …

Self, John Shea

Theses

"Self" is a record of developing an understanding of self-portraiture as a tool to tell a story. The resulting show from this body of work is a series of self-portraits completed in varying methods of ceramic firing and surface manipulation processes. This writing travels in order as the thesis developed, as I figured out how to tell a more direct story using my understanding of my surroundings, my relationship to my references, my peers, my professors, my hands and my history. "Self" is a record of the time I spent learning how to transform my material understanding of ceramics, my …

Current, Virginia Pfau

Theses

I am fascinated by the relationship of modern humans to the natural world, and the ways in which the technology we produce has both positive and negative impacts on it. I want to use my work to create a non-biased, beautiful environment in which others can also contemplate this subject. Clay is an important material not only for its elemental symbolism of earth, but also for its long ties to human craft and culture. Plastics are advanced synthetic materials with various ecologically constructive and destructive aspects in a field with increasing emphasis on environmental sustainability. The synthesis of these two …

Fleeting, Alysia Grummert

Theses

Fleeting, is a wall installation composed of individual slabs of porcelain inspired by the forms of the foliage that grew on the farm where I was raised. The seemingly wind-blown elements of this work are lightly textured and blushed with muted tints of color. This work celebrates a quiet, fragile beauty through the use of delicate, rhythmic forms. Some of the forms appear to take flight as they emerge from the wall. The mood of this piece expresses a season moving on. The arrangement of this wall piece captures a sense of migration as the eye is directed to follow …

Small Gatherings, Sean O'Connell

Theses

My proposed avenue of study involves a focused investigation of ornament on functional pottery. More specifically how the use of embellishment enhances utility and assists in the creation of a context for communal experiences: gatherings of a colloquial, informal, or casual nature. More specifically, this body of work explores the archetypal forms of tableware and how they manifest under the auspice of `small gatherings'. In addition to the apparent characteristics of `use' and `appearance' there are also numerous possibilities that may intersect with the ideas of utility and decoration. The content of this work is embedded in historical modes and …

As I Recall..., Megan Gulland

Theses

This body of work presents a visual memoir of my childhood. Told through these self-portraits, this work captures the essence of my memories. Though the sculptures portray my present age as storyteller, the content comes from my childhood. I am exploring the roots of my love of storytelling by joining my passion for clay with the events of my past. The process of making these portraits, for me, closely reflects the process of growing up. In a similar way, as I built, I learned the limits and possibilities of the clay. Now, even as an adult I reflect on my …

Pottery, The Multi-Sensual Medium, Ryan Bothamley

Theses

The search for beauty, nourishment, and celebration of life can be found within thoughtful hand made pottery. These objects help create, recreate and bring together a community. The most intimate, personal, and enriching objects are useful and found in the home. I strive to create pottery for occasions, to celebrate a memorable event or to make the everyday routine include more significant moments. I want my pottery to be so captivating that a viewer will be compelled to interact with it. My hope is that the use of these pots will create more significant moments within the user's life. While …

Show And Tell, Andrew Coombs

Theses

I am a potter. I intend my work to be used. I strive to address the subjects of presentation, utility, beauty, and craft in my work. Although I seek to make work that stands on its own, I feel that a piece is not truly complete until it is in use. The pot and its contents should exist symbiotically, each elevating the other to heighten the enjoyment of the meal. In my current body of work, I am decorating the pots with layers of text. The text is a decorative element, as well as a record of my communication with …

Responses To Significant Personal Experiences, Mazin Siraj Adam

Theses

The thesis project consisted of two sections. The first of these sections is the creation of twelve conceptually related sculptures installed in the Davison Gallery at Robert Wesleyan College. The second half of the project exists in the form of this written thesis, which will explore various ideas, processes and concerns associated within the individual sculptures and the prevailing concepts inherent to them all. With both the sculptural work and the written thesis I am exploring the personal significance of my past and culture on my work.

A Recipe, Bradley Josephine Selin

Theses

This thesis describes the author's master's exhibition of ceramic storage containers. It discusses how the work expresses the theme of gardening. The author also includes images of some of the works which have influenced her design.

Expressions Of Duality, Daniel White

Theses

For the graduate thesis I will investigate duality, as it exists in the realm of ego and humility. This is an inward investigation to become aware of how it exists in me. Duality has been of special interest in my life through growing up in two culturally different families with one owning ego and the other humility. The dualism experienced resulted in an internal dialogue deciphering between the two. I am convinced that the diffusion of ego through humor towards a more humbled approach to life is an important foundational block for fully becoming aware of who I am. Humor …

A Journey Into Self-Actualization, William Rubar

Theses

The MFA Thesis Exhibition is a presentation of ceramic sculpture. The theme for this body of work is a self-portrait that uses text as an integral part of the composition. The medium is clay, which interacts with the two-dimensional and three-dimensional properties of space. Therefore, it is my goal to establish a union with these dimensional properties. My tablet paintings serve to catalog significant events affecting both our culture and my life, resulting in a self-portrait. These paintings create a dialogue between the emotion of language, passage of time and the properties of space. The preparation of the clay and …