Humanities and Social Sciences

Bachelor of Visual Arts

Ceramics

Porcelain Bowl
Artist: Kerrie-ann Abbott

Bachelor of Visual Arts students can major in Ceramics at the Bendigo campus. The units Theory and Methodologies in Studio Practice and Visual Arts Media Workshop together constitute the major study and are offered within the Ceramics studio. Students majoring in other areas may combine ceramics with their major area through Comparative Studies in Visual Media.

Ceramics may be studied within Visual Arts Media Workshop as an elective unit by students within the Bachelor of Graphic Design and students from outside the School of Visual Arts and Design.

Ceramics may also be taken at Honours (fourth year) level and there are opportunities for research at Masters and Ph.D levels.

Philosophy

Ceramics offered at The School of Visual Arts & Design on the Bendigo campus of La Trobe University, builds on the strength of the past histories and traditions of ceramic practice across the world.

Studio ceramics today, has been informed by the universal practice of ceramics and a growing knowledge and understanding of materials science. The course is designed to investigate the relationship of traditional practice within a contemporary framework.

The coursework encourages individual expression using clay and ceramic processes through practical studio demonstrations, lectures, tutorials and group discussion.

Our location gives the course a great resource to develop a strong sense of community with access to the natural, visual and material assets of central Victoria.

Information

Through the first year, the coursework is designed to extend the students understanding of clay and firing processes to establish a foundation of knowledge and an appreciation of research methods applied to ceramics.

Explorations in clay using modeling, handbuilding techniques, moulds and the potter’s wheel introduce students to the use of form as a vehicle for expression.

Where first year students  predominately use low fire techniques, second and third year students can extend their firing skills to stoneware firings including developing an understanding of wood firing kilns.

As students progress through the course, they gain greater maturity in their individual understanding of the concepts and materials, writing their own projects by third year.

The relationship between the different units comes into its own as the course proceeds through second year culminating in third year, where these elements allow the student to launch off into their careers or gain a place within the Honours program and further to higher degrees.

Staff, in ceramics, nurture and maintain their teaching through practice and exhibiting.

Students exiting the Bachelor of Visual Arts course with a major in ceramics work within the ceramics industry and as practicing potters or ceramic artists and a variety of other arts related fields. Some undergraduate students proceed to higher degrees and into post-graduate education courses.

For further information contact:

Anthony Conway
Telephone : 03 5444 7217
Facsimile: 03 5444 7953
a.conway@latrobe.edu.au