In the past, many potters learned their craft by apprenticing under professional
potters or taking part-time courses. Today, things are not that simple.
"If people are serious about it as a profession, they would need to apply
themselves full time," says Bruce Cochrane. He is a ceramics professor.
Several colleges and technical schools in North America offer diplomas
or associate's degrees. Many universities offer bachelor's or master's
degrees in fine arts with a specialization in ceramics.
Every program requires students to submit comprehensive portfolios
of their work as well as high school transcripts. "The portfolio is often
worth more because it shows a person's interest and experimentation with the
medium," Cochrane notes.
Many colleges also require written applications that ask you to write
an essay. You must answer questions like: What about ceramics appeals
to you? What have you done to explore this medium? What do you hope to achieve
through the program?
Some programs may even require formal interviews.
Ceramics programs require hard work and devotion. Picture this. You go
to the studio to work on one of your pieces at 9 a.m. on Monday. You're there
until 8 p.m. each and every day that week and Sunday is your only day off.
Come Monday, it's back to the studio you go!
"[Students] get out of it what they put into it," says Cochrane. "We set
up expectations, and if people fulfill those requirements, they will be
working very hard."
Many colleges also encourage art majors to take at least one course
in another medium, like painting or drawing, in case they find one they
like better.
"High school students who hope to be artists, whether in painting, sculpture
or ceramics, will need not only a good foundation in college prep classes,
but in drawing and any other art classes that are available in their high
school," says Linda Hansen Mau. She is a ceramics professor at De Anza
College in California.
"But more important than art classes is a good basic education in English,
math and science. There is a lot of chemistry in ceramics and artists
all need to be able to communicate their ideas not only visually, but verbally,"
she says.
Ceramics students usually have to pay for their own materials (like
clay and glazes). Students will also need to purchase tools. And since some
programs require extra courses, like English, students may also have to buy
textbooks.
Links
Occupational Outlook Handbook
For more information related to this field of study, see: Artists
and Related Workers
Ceramics Monthly
An international magazine about ceramics
Blue Muse Ceramics
A listing of artists and suppliers