Summer 2023: The Embellished Head with Sophie Gibson, Wednesdays 3:00pm

In this engaging course we will study the anatomy of the human head in order to create lifelike portraits. Using simple patterns and a hollow construction method, we will compress cylinders of clay and locate a series of bony landmarks to arrive at core “skeletal” layers. We will next bring our heads to life using measurements and photographic reference as guides. Moving from this technical phase into a whimsical and expressive phase, we will explore a variety of ways to embellish our heads: jewelry, headdresses, lizards for hair, directional abstract shapes to endow a sense of movement – anything you can imagine! I will also demonstrate ventilation techniques to keep your pieces safe in the kiln.
Some experience working with clay is preferred, but not required.

Note: At the end of this 8-week course, students will each have a complete sculpture. Students are encouraged to make use of open studio time to work on their sculptures between classes. Due to the extensive drying time that this type of work requires, we will not conduct firings during this course. It is recommended that students wait at least a month after the end of the course before bisque firing their pieces.