The purpose of this syllabus is to conform to the rules of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools syllabus requirements and to conform to the requirements of the state of Texas, the TAMU System, Texas A&MCC and The College of Liberal Arts.

Semesterly Information

• Advanced Ceramics Arts 4324.001
• Office Hours 1-2pm M-F
  
• Final Exam: Last class Day

Stable Information and Teacher Information

• Name of Instructor:  Katz, Louis
• Office phone number: 361 825-5987
• E-mail address:louis.katz@tamucc.edu
• Office number and building: CA112
• This syllabus is subject to change.

Studio Rules

Rules for safety are set by the Campus Safety Office, The Art Department, and Louis Katz. In order to use the facility the student must pass any tests given and attend any training required by the Campus Safety Office, Art Department or Louis Katz. Training may be online or in class. Failure to pass tests or attend training may impact the students ability to use the facility. See the Safety Agreement and Etiquette Handouts for specifics.

• Required statements:
  *Notice to Students with Disabilities:  Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act in making reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. If you suspect that you may have a disability (physical impairment, learning disability, psychiatric disability, etc.), please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office, located in Driftwood 101, at 825-5816. If you need disability accommodations in this class, please see me as soon as possible. 

  **ACADEMIC ADVISING:  The College of Liberal Arts requires that students meet with an Academic Advisor as soon as they are ready to declare a major. The Academic Advisor will set up a degree plan, which must be signed by the student, a faculty mentor, and the department chair. The College's Academic Advising Center is located in Driftwood 203E, and can be reached at 825-3466.

  *** Grade Appeal Process.  As stated in University Rule 13.02.99.C2, Student Grade Appeals, a student who believes that he or she has not been held to appropriate academic standards as outlined in the class syllabus, equitable evaluation procedures, or appropriate grading, may appeal the final grade given in the course. The burden of proof is upon the student to demonstrate the appropriateness of the appeal.  A student with a complaint about a grade is encouraged to first discuss the matter with the instructor.  For complete details, including the responsibilities of the parties involved in the process and the number of days allowed for completing the steps in the process, see University Rule
  13.02.99.C2, Student Grade Appeals, and University Procedure 13.02.99.C2.01, Student
  Grade Appeal Procedures. These documents are accessible through the University Rules
  Web site at http://www.tamucc.edu/provost/university_rules/index.html. For assistance and/or guidance in the grade appeal process, students may contact the Office of Student Affairs.

  **** Because art studios use materials and tools that could be dangerous, safe and cooperative behavior by students is absolutely necessary. The studio course instructor will be the ultimate judge of cooperative as well as safe and unsafe behavior. Individuals engaging in uncooperative and/or unsafe behavior will be cautioned and instructed once by the instructor. If a second occasion of uncooperative and/or unsafe behavior occurs, that student will be un-enrolled from the course and given a “wd” with no refund of tuition and fees. (per Dean Richard Gigliotti)

Course Specific Information

• Course title: Advanced Ceramics
• Course number: ART 4324
• Course description: Advanced Ceramics covers different material each semester. This allows the student the ability to take Advanced Ceramics multiple times without much repetition of content. In addition to class assignments, Advanced Ceramics students are expected to develop their own personal agenda in the medium. The assignments given will usually be open enough to allow the students agenda to be imposed upon them. Specific Assignments are contained in the assignments page.
• Student Learning Outcomes:
  1. To become more competent in throwing and/or handbuilding techniques and concepts.
  2. Greater exposure to the multitude of techniques, materials and processes available to Clayers
  3. To increase surface application skills and develop a palette of glazes and/or slips.
  4. To increase competency in loading and firing kilns.
  5. To become more aware of historical and contemporary ceramic art.
  6. To develop a personal agenda and body of work.
  7. Student will gain a broader understanding of the scope of the medium and and participate in more discussion of philosophical issues surrounding the field.

Graded activity, Calendar:

Advanced Class Assignments

The start of each day will be looking at images, either via computer or in books or magazines. The grade for this is pass/fail.

Each Day will include a participation assignment. The grade for these is pass/fail. Everybody works until everybody is done.

Individual Project(s)

1. Turn in project sheet on Day 2
2. At the very least meet informally weekly to discuss current status of the project
3. Develop and test surfaces for the project before the time crunch at the end of the semester. (by midterm)

Grading Rubric

• Students start with 60 points.
• Attendance. Each missed class lowers the grade by 5(summer).
• Each failed participation assignment lowers the grade by 3. Two of these may be made up through individual projects turned in by semesters end, see the instructor for details. It will be easier to attend class.
• Each missed "image looking" attendace lowers the grade by 3. Two of these may be made up through individual projects turned in by semesters end, see the instructor for details. It will be easier to attend class.
• The individual project is worth up to 40 points with 20 points being given for satisfactory completion. The grade scale for this individual project will be roughly,
  • A 30-40 points
  • B 20-30
  • C 15 .
  • D 10.
  • F 0

  The individual project will be graded on results, difficulty, and effort. More difficult projects require more effort and often acheive less finished results. Since these are individual projects the grading of these should be discussed at the beginning of the semester individually.

Overall grade for the course:

• >60 points D
• >70 points C
• >80 points B
• >90 points A

   

General Course Requirements:

• -having a HEPA type respirator for use in class . Failure to have one will prevent you from completing daily assignments.
• -having a pair of rubber gloves available for glazing
• -Completion of all projects assigned. Participation in class activities and excercises.
• -Evidence of, and results from a students personal ceramic agenda. It should be apparent what the student is working towards.
• -Preparation of clay. Mixing may take place outside of class time. Do not plan to mix clay during the beginning classes time.
• -Participation in loading, firing, and unloading of group kilns, and preparation of clay and glazes.
• -Participation in class projects, if any.
• -All project work and outside work to be graded must be available for review at the end of the semester. Due to space limitations finished work may not be stored in the ceramics studios. If work will not fit in lockers, students must make other arrangements for safe storage- i.e., take work home, etc. Again, all work must be available for review at semester's end.
• -Tests: students may be tested on class information, safety information, vocabulary and reading assignments.
• -Studio Hygiene and Safety: read, sign, and hand in student agreement, attached. Students using equipment or materials in an unsafe manner may be prevented from using the ceramics facility even if this results in a failing grade. All students are required to clean up their work areas before leaving the studio and do other studio cleaning as necessary.
• -RESEARCH- to enrich their own work, students should:
• -Make a habit of looking at Ceramics publications -Become familiar with The Library's large collection of Ceramic titles and periodicals. Search under subject headings Ceramics, Clay and Pottery or head for the stacks.
• -NOTEBOOK-Students are required to keep a notebook with all class information, all handouts including this syllabus, results of glaze tests, and notes from class lectures. Students will be expected to have this notebook every day in class with a writing implement. Students arriving without a notebook may be recorded as absent. The notebook may be checked during the final exam. It is not expected that the notebook will be finely presented or worked on other than it containing the above mentioned information.

Attendance, Incompletes:

• LATENESS- It is essential that students come to class ON TIME. Important information will be given each class during the first few minutes of class. Arriving for class late four times is equal to one absence. Lateness is disrespectful to the teacher and other students. Late students are expected to not ask questions during the lectures that they were late to.
• It is the students responsibility follow attendance procedures during class to make sure they are recorded properly.
•  Most projects will require a minimum of three hours work outside of class for every three hours spent in class.
• INCOMPLETE POLICY- Incompletes are given at the instructors discretion. They involve extra work from the instructor and use university facilites taking class space. The student must be able to complete the work with minimal input from the instructor. The incompletes must be for a reason that can be justified by the instructor to the dean, provost and department chair. For more information consult your catalog. Ware made for for incompletes must be bone dry by the next long semester's mid term, and must be glaze fired before the last 2 weeks of classes.
• You may use the Ceramics Studio any time the building is open except during floor cleaning and other ceramics classes.
• All class days count as all others except the Final Exam. Failure to attend the final exam will most likely result in the loss of 1 letter grade. Exceptions are at the instructors discretion. Exceptions must be unpredictable, verified to the instructors satisfaction, and life changing. Additional work will be required of the student.The is NO TOLERANCE for instructors giving exams during my exam period. Any complications due to an exam being scheduled at the same time as mine should be brought to the attention of the appropriate dean.

CRITIQUES:

• New work will be placed on tables for critique on the first class meeting of each week. If you want feed back ask.

STUDIO HOURS:

• You may use the Ceramics Studio any time the building is open except during floor cleaning and other ceramics classes.

BREAKAGE, LOSS, FIRING ACCIDENTS

REQUIRED TEXT

SUGGESTED TEXTS:

It is suggested that the student read books, visit websites, frequent the library magazine racks and take every opportunity to see actual ceramic work in the flesh. This includes visits to Aloe Tile, Wilhelmi Holland Gallery, museums, potters in other cities and states, other schools, conferences, anywhere. ...

• A Potter's Workbook- Clary Illian, University of Iowa press ISBN 0-87745-671-2, excellent text on form for throwers.
• Ceramics Monthly Magazine PO Box 12448 Columbus Ohio 43212, (614) 891-8960 ORDER TODAY ask for the current issue. All serious ceramists in the U.S. should get this.
• THE CRAFT OF THE POTTER, A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MAKING POTTERY- Michael Casson: just as the title indicates, a technique oriented book with good step-by-step illustrations to many ceramic processes. Especially strong as regards throwing.
• A POTTER'S BOOK- by Bernard Leach. A classic, this book was the inspiration for many of this centuries greatest potters. It has some very good basic information, but is better as an expression of a philosophical stance towards pottery.

LOCKERS: See Art Office to reserve a locker in the hallway.

REQUIRED TOOLS:

• NOTEBOOK $2.00
• HEPA type dust respirator, rubber gloves REQUIRED. Paper masks are Not appropriate.
  MSA400 LS ( or Advantage ® 400) with P100 Filter are suggested sometimes Home Depot has these. Cost is less than $35. It can be had for less than $26.

  I found these links:

  • http://www.safetysaves.com/safety_wear/product.php?productid=2356
  • http://www.westechrigging.com/respirator-200ls.html
  • http://www.professionalequipment.com/msa-advantage-200-ls-half-face-respirator-kit-with-p100-filter-1-pair-msa-safety-glasses-medium-10048119/half-mask-respirators/
• lidded containers for glaze tests. These may not be drinking cups. Have these the third day of class . They should hold at least 2 cups each. I use quart yogurt containers. $Free.

SUGGESTED TOOLS: this list is intended only as a guide- you may find you need or want other tools.

• -chamois for thrown and hadbuilt edges.
• -gloves
• -brushes for slips and glazes. If you want to see catalogs to order from, ask.
• -notebook
• -bat pins
• -thin plastic drop cloths (.03 mm) for covering work.
• -work clothes: You might want to keep a change of clothes that you can get very dirty in your locker, also closed top, sensible shoes. You cannot use the studio wearing sandals or high heels. See student agreement.
• -hair control devices: long hair must be tied back when using potter's wheel, mixing clay, using the grinder, or firing kilns.
• -Scarf or cap: to cover your hair when mixing clay or glaze, sweeping, or other dusty jobs.