“…it occurred to me that the black figure paintings [vs. the red figure] resembled a more direct visual observation of scenes and images in real life.  Upon the bright orange color of the clay background,t he figures represented the silhouette of people and objects seen from afar under the bright sun. At great distance and under a strong light source, it is difficult to see the details on an object or person and the black-figure drawings are meant to depict this visual reality (or visual effect).  The evolution of red-figure painting is the consequence of the development in geometry and the perspective lines that govern human vision. Solid, contour-lines are needed to depict the depth in our vision on a 2-D paper/drawing plane.  It can be seen that this kind of drawing made better pictures.”–Arthur Zhang (3/13/15)

“In the last few minutes of class my group was successful in attaching a foot to the bowl.  It was pretty amazing how we were able to pick up the vessel by the foot almost immediately after making the attachment.  I’d gotten used to the idea of clay being a very fragile “living” material that can be easily warped, so it was shocking to me to see a stronger side of the material.  Every week my understanding of the clay fabric changes th emote experience I have with it.  I can see why ancient apprentices would spend years getting to know the material before ever sitting at a wheel.”–Maddy Brancati (3/13/15)

“The more analytical/quantitative/sciencey viewpoint was exciting to hear about, and very convincing evidence for certain practices (processing the slip clay the way everywhere due to the Ce anomaly).  It was particularly exciting to hear about use of techniques that identify particular elements and compounds in the clay body and slip.  My favorite parts were the Ce anomaly (why does this happen?!) and the presence of ZnAl2O4 (gahnite) (confirmation that the slip does not turn black until the firing).  The other really exciting part of [Dr. Marc] Walton’s research is that his idea that each pot went in the kiln several times challenges the incredibly old and widely accepted idea that there was only one firing (and he has great evidence supporting this, too!).–Lauren Aldoroty (3/6/15)

“I was interested to hear that he [Walton] thought the inscriptions in reddish purple were added post-firing.  Would adding it post-firing make it less durable, and if so, would we maybe have to re-evaluate our ideas about how vases may have originally been signed? I’m particularly interested because, as I was drafting my design, I realized that we have no third color with which to write our inscriptions, so we much either reserve a space and paint the letters with slip or incise the letters into a slip covered area as black figure painters did.”–Anna Soifer (3/6/15)

“The way I see it, an experiment like this is absolutely necessary in developing the best understanding we can about these vessels, even if it’s not a complete one.  It is this kind of understanding that makes Richter’s analyses so comprehensible, as opposed to Noble, who makes the production process seem simply and easy–something we’ve learned is absolutely not true.”–Maddy Brancati (3/6/15)

There are just so many mysteries surrounding the composition of both slip and clay and how that composition affects firing results.  There was some talk of soda ash, sodium silicate, espsom salt, gum, honey, etc. and as an engineer, I really want to know what adding these ingredients are doing to the slip.  But there is a magic in the mystery.  Thinking back to ancient times, potters had no idea who to create a slip of the proper thickness of what would happen if you fired with honey.  Heck, I’m not even sure how they came up with the idea of slip at all.  As a sculptor, I would never have thought of the idea of pairing clay on clay an expecting anything to happen.”–Haley Huang (2/27/15)

“Painting the relief lines was mildly successful, when a very fine brush was used.  Using a single hair was a bit ambitious.  Perhaps with thicker watercolor the color would more easily cling to a  stalk of hair, but our solution was very thin, so the hair picked up nothing.  Perhaps a bundle of 3-5 hairs would have more success sin trapping some of the clay with the water.  Matt’s tool that he lent us was closest to this as it was a bundle of maybe 30 fibers.  It worked well in laying thin lines but we were unable to make satisfactory curves with it.  Better at the curves was the 6150R because it was a shorter length of hairs, although it was thicker.  It seems like the perfect tool, a hybrid of these two, is just out of reach.”–Travis Schmauss (2/27/15)

“I felt rather silly bringing my honey with me to Clayworks today, but ironically it played a very key role in creating a workable slip.  The added stickiness and viscosity allowed the slip to load on the brush and to create well defined raised areas.  Another surprising effect was that it slowed the drying process of relief line, thus keeping it visible–very valuable when a painter is trying to capture all the details and designs and avoiding painting outside that design.”–Gianna Puzzo (2/27/15)

“Looking at the ancient kylikes I always assumed that the striations on the bowl were rill marks from throwing, but after reading I believe those marks were likely made when putting on the slip with a wide brush while turning it on the wheel.  I can’t wait to examine the cups in the museum again next week to inspect them closer.  Those stroke marks also remained when we burnished over tile, though they were not as prominent.”–Ashley Fallon (2/27/15)

“I foresee the process of coming up with and agreeing upon a design for our cups will be difficult.  I personally liked the idea of depicting beer-pong on the cup, somebody mentioned this idea in class but there wasn’t much approval from the rest.  The idea makes good sense if we are replicating these drinking cups in the likeness of the ancient Greeks who boldly depicted their drinking activities (some scenes were rather outrageous even by today’s standards).  I could understand why people would not think the beer-pong depiction appropriate and this makes me wonder how open we are to reflect and discuss the culture and practices of our own day; or are we only capable of judging the culture and history of bygone eras.”–Arthur Zhang (2/19/15)

“Working on the wheel, it felt like my hands were wrapped around a lump of fresh mud, and I had to make this goopy slippery substance appear like a solid shape.  I couldn’t figure out how to apply an even pressure…That was when Elizabeth pointed out to me that I was working against the wheel.  I had basically been ignoring the rotating motion of the wheel, moving my hands in very counter-productive ways trying to force the clay into the shape I wanted.  It is evident to me now that there is a symbiotic relationship between the potter and the wheel. It is essential for the potter to take advantage of the energy/power the wheel provides…” –Madalena Brancati (2/19/15)

“I was successful at throwing one bowl (almost two, but I had air bubbles in the rim of the first and completely ruined it when I tried to cut it off), though I fear that it may collapse when drying because I did not leave enough clay at the base.  There are also weak points/imperfections in the walls, which is not surprising because I have never really tried to throw something with such thin walls before.  Next time, when opening the clay, I will do it at a smaller angle to the wheel head in hopes that this will make it easier to throw a low-hanging, thin-walled bowl.”–Lauren Aldoroty (2/19/15)

“I realized today that every event in the clay’s history, from quarry to wheel, contributes to the quality of the final cup.  Even in ancient Greece, quarrying the desired clay was a difficult task.  Bot the cups we produce and the ones we study can be affected by the slightest error, and even unknown mishaps can present themselves only after firing.”–Savannah de Montesquiou (2/13/15)

“Something Matt [Hyleck, the master potter] said in particular was really interesting, about how clay has a memory.  If you bend or warp the clay in the leather hard state, it will show up after firing, regardless [of] how you might try to fix it. That got me thinking, is there any evidence of this on our museum’s kylikes? Maybe a small bend could’ve made the cup weaker in an area and easier to break.”–Elizabeth Winkelhoff (2/13/15)

“I need to be conscientious of my form so I don’t introduce create too many air bubbles in the reneged clay–these could ruin our tiles/cups that we make! They could explode in [the] kiln–this would endanger every piece in the vicinity–a terrifying thought.”–Hana Chop (2/13/15)

Drawing by Dane Clark (2/5/15)

“You notice a lot more things when you’re able to hold and turn a cup side to side in the light.  A lot more blemishes on the surface, but a great depth of feeling in the curves and little ridges where the potter’s hands left ridges. You forget your nervousness in the moment.”–Haley Huang (2/5/15)

“Error is imminent; not even the ancient masters (and their apprentices) got it right 100% of the time. But the vessels that do survive the kiln without exploding reveal the great control of the painter’s and potter’s hand. From Matt’s perspective as a potter, the symmetry and thickness (or thinness) of the clay is achieved through muscle memory , of someone who produces multiple vessels a day for years of their life.”– Gianna Puzzo (2/5/15)

“My fixation on the sheen of the vessels was equally as strong this week.  I found that at times the reflection of the lights was strong enough to obscure the picture of the cup.  I can only imagine how that image would have looked under firelight and obscured by wine.  Would the image look more lifelike?”–Ashley Fallon (2/5/15)

“I knew that it was an experimental archaeology project but I was not aware of quite how experimental it was.  The idea that our teachers will be learning along with us is both exciting and terrifying.  It is so different from the typical college course where the professor is an absolute authority on the subject and is there to pass on their knowledge to their students.  Here we will be learning together in an active, rather than a passive way.  Thus, my extreme excitement.”–Anna Soifer (1/29/15)

“This is one of those experiences that if you pass it up, upon your deathbed you will realize you hadn’t lived.  Of course I was willing to spend a day each week at Clayworks.  Way too cool of a story for later.”–Travis Schmauss (1/29/15)