Seaside Serenity

Medium: Clay, Glaze

Description: "Seaside Serenity" is inspired by the Great Barrier Reef, one of the seven wonders of the world. Growing up in the ocean, to me, it resembles peace and diversity with the crashes of the waves and the different bio life that swims freely. With the reef's significant decline in coral, my main focus was to represent its nature and fragile beauty. I created two pinch pots and slip and scored them together to create the pot shape. I took a cylindrical shape of clay, pierced a hole with a pencil, and rolled it on a table to create the spout. I hand carved the coral and sea life out of a slab of clay and slipped and scored them to the surface. For the sand part, I used sandpaper and tapped it against the pot to create a grainy texture. For the glaze, I wanted to approach it with vibrancy almost in a cartoon way. This piece is a resemblance of the beauty that still remains in this world despite the negativity that surrounds us.

An Italian Adventure

Medium: Clay, Glaze

Description: "An Italian Adventure" is a piece I created in ceramics class after my teacher assigned us to create a vase based on a culture. After doing research on the different designs on a variety of cultural vases, I wanted to create a piece on the traditional Tuscan culture. This piece has a balance of function and artistry with its round body that similarly resembles an amphora. Focusing on craftsmanship, I used the coil method to layer each coil properly to ensure stability in its 10-inch-high structure. I created texture on the surface using a rib tool and smoothed it out to create a polished finish. This vase represents how design can express creativity and identity, which serves as a foundation in architectural thinking.

Rapunzel

Medium: Clay

Description: This piece is a vision for my favorite Disney princess: Rapunzel. In my original sketch, I drew out the 3 layers of relief: the sun, patterns from her dress, and the lanterns. Originally, I wanted it to show symmetry, but as I reflected on her story, I realized that her story isn’t a perfect balance at all; it shows growth and change. In order to capture this, I rolled a slab and cut it out into a circular tile and a ¼ inch thick. The sun, cut out of a slab, was placed in the middle as a center symbol of Rapunzel’s journey. Using a needle tool, I etched patterns of Rapunzel’s dress into the tile. Finally, the lanterns were placed asymmetrically to create the illusion that they were actually floating in the air to capture the scene of Rapunzel coming to her full realization of what she truly wants. This piece highlights how design can embody emotion and a story without taking away from its craftsmanship.

Sandworm: Beetlejuice Play

Medium: Paper, cardboard, tape

Description: "Sand Worm" is a prop that will be used in my school's production: Beetlejuice. It should be noted that the photos shown are not the final product as this piece is still a work in progress. With this creature, I created a 5-minute sketch on how it should look. It has an 18-inch diameter and a 57-inch circumference. The worm stands 60 inches tall. Working on this with a partner, we had to figure out how we were going to make this come to life. We used empty cardboard that used to hold clay and broke it down to create the worm's body. From there, we used tape to ensure its structure was stable. Once we had the second head in and its teeth, my partner and I will paper mache it and paint it to fully bring the monster to life. Although still in progress, this sculpture reflects my interest in storytelling and ability to create with creativity. As the sand worm plays a memorable part in the play, I feel honored to produce this knowing it will make audiences feel suspense.