Singing Clay: Ancient Hand-Building Techniques in Functional, Sculptural, and Sound-Based Ceramics

Singing Clay explores ancient clay hand-building techniques through the creation of sculptural and functional ceramic works inspired by contemporary and historical folk-art traditions. Students will learn and practice three foundational hand-building methods—pinch, coil, and slab construction—used for thousands of years across cultures.

The course places special emphasis on the creation of folk-art ocarinas, examining their historical and cultural significance as sound-producing objects. Students will learn how to construct functional ocarinas and creatively incorporate sound elements into dishes and vessels, allowing ceramic forms to quite literally produce a voice. Through hands-on making, historical references, and guided experimentation, students will create works that merge functions, sculpture, and sound.