fantastic food containers making your dishes more interesting

One of the main properties of ceramics is that it is used to create dishes for practical use. As such it only makes sense that our next work begin to explore this part of building in clay. Everyday one sees ceramic plates and coffee mugs in use. However, the shapes of these plates, bowls, and cups all tend to look similar in shape and size. In this class though, we are striving to be unique and come up with our own interesting designs. Plates do not necessarily need to look like plates and cups do not have to be uniform in shape. For Example:

Artists have long used food as a subject matter for art. Some use it in still life depictions, studying the form and shape. Some use it to abstract an image like Archimboldo’s works. And some use it as the main event. Case in point, Judy Chicago’s, The Dinner Party.

The Dinner Party, was a multimedia installation symbolizing a banquet which honored 39 women from history. The long tables were arranged in a triangular format, each 48 ft. long. Each place was set with handmade table runners and personalized dishware for each of the honored personages. In this piece, Judy Chicago is using each of the elements of art and arranging them in an interesting way according to the principles of design. Take a closer look at each of these next images to see how Judy Chicago creates personalized dishware.

When we look at each of those close ups and even at the quick still life and abstraction, it is easy to see how the artists are using the Elements of Art in their work. As such in this project I would like YOU to make sure you’re using line, shape, form, space, texture, value, and color in your pieces. The other thing to notice is how interesting the shapes are and how different they are for every place setting. A way to come up with so many ideas might lead you to refer back to the Design Synectics reading.

If we think about the methods given in Design Synectics for coming up with ideas, you realize that you can do simple things to make an ordinary dish for a specific food seem more interesting. RepeatSubstitute AddDisguise CombineContradict TransferParody SuperimposeHybridize FragmentFantasize DistortAnalogize

As kids we are taught not to play with our food but in order to come up with an interesting design for a dish, you may want to forget this. Think like a kid and look outside the box.

Your next project will involve your personality questionnaire again so HOPEFULLY you have it saved in your sketchbook like I asked. Look at your 5 favorite foods listed. These will become your inspiration for the next project.

Your next project is to think like Judy Chicago and create a dish for a food/liquid that represents your favorite food/drink as listed on your sheet. You may go about this in several ways. For example: You might depict the food directly via a relief or 2d drawing You might depict the culture of the food You might demonstrate what the food will be based on with the shape/ form of the dish. You might accentuate the food by what you sculpt. (Think about the elements of art and how they might be used!) You might think of what this food is often associated with.

Specific Requirements for this project are as follows: 1)Your dish must be able to serve at least 4-6 people. Meaning, this is not a single serving plate. If you wish to do a plate, it will need to be a platter OR it will need to be multiple plates. If you want to do a drink you will need the pitcher and cups. 2)Your dish must reflect your favorite food which it is meant to serve. THIS CANNOT BE DONE BY PAINTING. IT MUST BE DONE THROUGH THE SCULPTING. 3)Your dish/cup/bowl must be made entirely from coils. 4)Your dish must reference a food! 5)Your dish must demonstrate understanding of AT LEAST 4 of the 7 elements of art.

After we are all finished and everything is fired, we will use the dishware in class to have a celebration. You will have to bring the food to fill your dish, and we will host our own banquet ala Judy Chicago.