Ceramics Department

This story about the Ohlone College Ceramics Department was first broadcast during the live Ohlone Tri-City News program on November 16, 2022.

Rebecca Twyman, Reporter
Brandon Tran, Photographer

Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
Students at Ohlone have the opportunity to express themselves in many ways. One of them being the Ceramics Department,
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
there’s a lot of opportunity to explore form and design and also to really explore one’s own voice.
Monica Skinner, Student
It allows you to have creativity in a way that you don’t normally have. Yeah, I think it’s, it’s rather, it’s one of those things that everyone should have to be able to do.
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
There’s something beautiful and so satisfying about that handmade piece. That’s a part of your life that you know, somebody spent weeks making and you have the honor of using it.
Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
The Ceramics department focuses on teaching students how to make art through the use of clay and ceramic materials. However, it isn’t just bowls and throwing on the wheel. But a dive into the many forms ceramics can take through many skill levels
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
You can make incredible sculptures with clay as well and tell stories and relate to people and create incredible installations and public art
Sorraya Jehle, Student
throwing, throwing, it’s wonderful, I love the wheels
Monica Skinner, Student
It was my first time playing with clay. So I thought it was still pretty fun and exciting. So…
Robin Hail, Student
Working with your hands making something and you know, you never know when you will need that. You might use that same skill some other time in a different medium.
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
It’s a tool, clay is a tool, just like a pencil. And you can create these physical forms that are going to take shape and be in your environment.
Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
One of the main projects introduced at the beginning of the semester is the flower project, based on a famous installation in England,
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
At the Tower of London and England, there was an installation by Tom Cummins, and they created hundreds of thousands of poppies. Each Poppy represented a soldier that died and World War One. And it was an installation piece
Rebecca Twyman
From that sparked a new semester tradition. Every student in the ceramics classes gets to add flowers to an ever growing installation on campus where every student gets to make an impact.
Monica Skinner, Student
I really enjoy the project here and how it looks. I think that it’s amazing that they have done it so many semesters in a row and it just keeps growing.
Sorraya Jehle, Student
I’m so proud. Those flowers are you know, installed and people come and look at it. And…
Robin Hail, Student
I love having something that people walk past and go, Oh my god, somebody made that on our campus.
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
And for students to make these flowers and put so much into it, and be able to be a part of the community even when they continue to grow and leave Ohlone is very cool.
Monica Skinner, Student
I enjoy it. I think it’s nice to leave something behind. Yeah, I think it’s really cool.
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
It’s really hard, right? To work on something. And to put all of your creativity and everything you’re learning into it and letting it go.
Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
Classes open for enrollment for the 2023 spring semester for continuing students on November 28. Students can go to my.ohlone.edu. And take a look at some of the upcoming classes in the Ceramics Department. There’s still a lot to look forward to next semester in the department.
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
There is one project that I’m- I’m toying with and it has to do with one of the buildings on Ohlone way.
Robin Hail, Student
Katie always has ideas. So I’m curious to see what happens next.
Monica Skinner, Student
Ceramic class is the best I love it and the teacher is wonderful. I learned a lot and I recommend this to everyone.
Katie Frank, Ceramics Professor
We’re here. The entire art department is a great place to be and we’re here to teach you these skills. You don’t need to come already knowing how to work with the materials. It’s our job to teach you.
Sorraya Jehle, Student
You get hooked. Be careful!
Rebecca Twyman (V.O.)
I’m Rebecca Twyman in building two of Ohlone colleges fremont campus reporting for Ohlone tri City News.