Program of Study
Our undergraduate program in ceramics offers comprehensive course of study in wheel
throwing, hand building, mold making, material science, professional practices, and
a wide range of kiln firing temperatures and technologies. Special topics courses
offer intensive focus on processes like: kiln building, figurative ceramics, and ceramic
surface design. Once accepted in to the program, B.F.A. students matriculate through
a series of advanced courses that introduce the sophisticated technical, critical,
and research skills necessary for the creation of an individual body of work.
Our M.F.A. program is a three-year course of study. Graduate students at ETSU come
to the program with a mature body of work, material curiosity, and aspirations to
strengthen their studio practice through intensive study. Formal and informal interaction
with area and department faculty is a critical part of the education; studio visits
and critiques with visiting artists are an exciting addition to the ongoing studio
dialogue. Each graduate student is provided with an individual workspace within a
shared graduate studio. Scholarships and Assistantships are available and opportunities
exist for qualified students to teach courses within the department.
In both Undergraduate and Graduate programs, elective courses taken in art history
and other studio disciplines deepen the foundation of knowledge students acquire and
encourage the integration of cross-disciplinary study. With faculty approval, students
have access to facilities in other media, including Extended Media Studies that houses
a ceramic 3D printer.
https://www.instagram.com/etsuceramics/
Facilities and Equipment
The Ceramics Area shares the Art Annex building with the Sculpture Area. The ceramics
facility is equipped with two large, high-ceiling, open-format work spaces, a glaze
lab, clay mixing room, graduate studio, ceramic library/lounge, and an extensive kiln
pad. The glaze lab is set up for high and low fire glazing and is fully stocked with
dry materials and shop glazes. Just outside the Art Annex there is a thriving pollinator
garden. All ceramics students have 24 hour access to the facility.
The classroom is equipped with:
2 North Star 10 bin glaze tables
Glaze Spray Booth – 36” wide
Vulcan JK-8SP test kiln
DeWalt ½” VSR drill
Bench grinding wheel
SpeedAire 3Z355F Industrial Duty Air Compressor
Peter Pugger 100 lb capacity clay mixer/pugger
Hobart H600T Dough mixer
2 Brute 42 gallon rolling slurry containers
8 Lockerbie Kick Wheels
3 Brent Model C electric wheels
3 Shimpo Whisper electric wheels
North Star Extruder
Brent extruder
Brent slab roller
Cone Art 10 cu ft oval electric kiln
Cone Art 10 cu ft oval computerized electric kiln
L&L e23T computerized electric kiln
L&L e28T computerized electric kiln
Paragon SNF24 electric kiln
42 cu ft gas fired IFB reduction kiln
32 cu ft gas fired soda glaze kiln
24 cu ft wood fired salt glaze kiln
60 cu ft wood fired kiln
10 cu ft gas fired IFB ‘test’ kiln
4.5 cu ft gas fired fiber basket raku kiln
9 - 250,000 BTU forced air burners for gas fired kilns
Wood splitter
Visiting Artists & Student Activities
The Student Ceramics Association (SCA) is an active student club managed by undergraduate
and graduate students in ceramics. Every year the club organizes a number of events
including: a gallery exhibition in Johnson City, an empty bowls fundraiser, ceramics
sales, outreach events, and visiting artist demonstrations. Ceramics sales happen
once a semester and help to fund student activities like the visiting artists, trips
to NCECA, and purchasing of specialized equipment for student use.
Past Visiting Artists in Ceramics: Liz Zlot Summerfield, Michael Kline, Jason Burnett,
Chuck Hindes, Sammie Nicely, Virginia Scotchie, Nick Joerling, Kelly Theil and Donna
Richard Hensley, Josh Copus Polsen, and more.
Faculty
Lindsay Rogers
rogersle@etsu.edu
