I brought back the competitive coil build challenge. Students seem to get a real kick out of it, especially when I offer extra credit for the tallest 3 in each class! 36" remains our record height from last year, I wonder if anyone will ever top it.

Ceramic 3 portrait busts are all but finished (I learned a bit about how to better deliver this unit), they are moving on to some press mold mayhem and glaze mixing. We shall see how well I can split a class into 2 completely different tasks.

During the portrait project, I asked my TA to model for me as I demonstrated how I approach the face to students. Turned out pretty good if I must say so myself... I'm tempted to finish it up to raise more funds for the program- Anyone want to purchase a 3x life sized face for their wall?

I was fashionably sporting a back brace during the 1st week. I discovered the best way to rid myself of the sciatica is traction, or lengthening the spine by gravity or active pressure. Its nearly gone, maybe 1 more week or so. I wonder if I will be strong enough to volunteer with the wrestling team this year.

New goal for next year: Order clay before the year starts. I was hoping to continue recycling clay during summer, but that didn't pan out. This would allow me to start the ceramic 3 Portrait Bust during week 1.

Oh, and here's a lovely piece by a wonderful ceramic 1 student... Kirby with long legs and toenails. and it will hang on a wall!

I've been in New Hampshire visiting my folks and their massage chair... My brother and his family came out to visit as well. I wish my back had been in better shape so I could have played with my niece. She's a smart cookie. I helped my dad reorganize the layout of his shop using what I've learned from managing art classrooms and the LHS ceramics studio.

Dad runs a small business called GenTent - check them out. Like most great inventions his product was developed when he got angry at a problem no one had a good solution for, so he made one of his own. I've contributed here and there and his business donates to my class. Here's my most recent contribution.
Red zone is for prototyping, Violet zone is for shipping and receiving, Green zone is for photography, and the Blue zone under the stairs is storage for trade show supplies. Shelves and tables are not visible in this draft, the goal here was to determine high traffic areas to the garage and upstairs office.

Something odd happened on the flight back. When I stood up from my seat I felt a twinge in deep in my thigh. Turns out I developed Sciatica during the flight... fun times.

​New goal: get rid of this literal pain the the rear by the time school starts again. Challenge Accepted.

First the bad news:
July 1st I was admitted to the hospital with a suspected slipped or herniated disk in my lumbar. I got a hold of my MRI results and yeah... I messed up my back when I slowed down and stopped being active. New life goal: stay active- even in summer months.

I can't really complain though... My students all received top marks at the Alameda County Fair, and we took home all 4 competitive prizes for hand built ceramics. 2 best in classes, a best in show, and a judges favorite. Perhaps next year we can break into the wheel thrown category. I had a lovely time hobbling around the fairgrounds with a cane. I had the hardest time taking good photos on my phone- I will have to remember to get good shots once my hands stop shaking.

Not only am I returning, but my numbers of ceramics 3 have nearly quadrupled- my program is already growing! I've got so many ideas of how to improve the studio, the projects, and the overall learning experience!

I cannot express just how lucky I am to be where I am at! Next year I also plan on showing off more student works in progress... hopefully I do not forget.

Ceramics 3 is still exceeding my expectations! I still have yet to find a failure point for these students... Ok... I'm upping the game! Here's some molds being made and plaster poured and I even got these kids to research and mix up glazes from scratch. If we get some good results, we might have a lead on a new dipping glaze for the class! The final image is dozens of test tiles hanging vertically in box trays to catch any drips.

I am so very lucky to be part of this district. I have been supported here more than any other district combined! New kiln, New tables, Grants, Union funding to go to THE ceramics conference in Davis, Teachers who push me to continue to show off the program, and Students who volunteer for after school events! 

CCACA was amazing! I ran into one of my college teachers there and she is still teaching me new things! Thank you Margaret for giving me such good advice for my advanced students!

To give back, I've run a series of after school adult workshops for district staff. EventBrite worked out well for organizing, but I need to find better dates in the future...

Ceramics 3 is gearing up for the county fair. The class is a bit small, but is choc full of talent!

There's a funny description regarding sculpture... It is that thing you bump into when you back up to view a painting. The DO wants artwork in the Board Room. The challenge is there is very few horizontal surfaces. Ceramics 3 and some Ceramic 2 students are making wall art, they can do it!

Our new kiln has upped our firing productivity! These new tables should improve student productivity. Oiled butcher block top tables from Bench Depot are porous enough that clay will not stick to the surface.

I was lucky enough to have a student come in and help me assemble the tables at the beginning of spring break. She's going to end up with over 100% in my class, and she tells me she's going to do AP Art with a focus in ceramics next year!

 So the Kiln took a bit longer than expected to be delivered. But Its up and running now! The district's electrician had to come out and replace the outlet and run a new, thicker wire to the breaker box. I needed to replace the bottom element- sometimes they break when the kiln is moved- not a big issue. Just look at how the elements are laid in. I'm in love!

Oh, and I hesitated to talk about this earlier... We're getting NEW TABLES!!!
Thank you LHS Alumni Association!!!