We kicked off our Artist in Residency program at the Imagination Lab this January! Our first artist was our very own, Holly Collins, K-5th art teacher at Clarks Creek Elementary School.
Holly demonstrated the use of the pottery wheel. She created multiple clay pots and mugs during her week with us.
Her final project was to create a sculpture using the word “Imagine.” She was inspired by the Imagination Lab logo (the circle of spheres). She was also inspired by the waves of colors that are on the walls in the Imagination Lab. Those correlate to the waves of multicolored clay that the letters sit on.
Students engaged with Holly by observing her creative process and asking questions. The kids were very interested in the process of the wheel, so Holly explained how she centered the clay first, made a hole second, made the clay wider third, and lastly brought the clay up to make the piece taller.
Holly spoke with the kids about clay and the firing process:
I build the piece while the clay is soft and malleable.
When the piece is finished, the clay has to completely dry until there is no water or moisture left inside.
When completely dry, I load the pieces into my Kiln and do a bisque firing. (That means it is the first firing to harden the pieces). This process usually takes about 24 hours, including firing and cooling time.
After the pieces have been fired, I apply 3 coats of glazes to each piece.
I then do a glaze firing to turn the glazes to a shiny, smooth glassy surface. This firing takes less time than the bisque.
As students rotate back through the Imagination Lab for their next Odyssey they can see the final glazed piece in our display case at the entrance to the lab.
Please stop by and see this magnificent work of art next time you visit or volunteer with us!
