Clay Coil Pot

Coils allow you to create organic, curved forms.

Coils can be left visible or smoothed out.

You will make a coil effigy pot.

• What does effigy mean?

Head potMississippian Culture (800-1600)Found in Arkansas

An effigy is an image or representation of a person or animal. Effigy pots may have been used in burials, at shrines, and for ceremonial or other utilitarian purposes.

Carved Stone MortarCa. 500 B.C.

Native American, effigy pot

Redware Effigy UrnGuano; Chimborazo, Ecuador750-125013.5 x 26 inches

Face jug, 1862-70. Chipstone Foundation collection

The Face Jug originated in the pottery created by enslaved African Americans during the second half of the 19th century in Edgefield, South Carolina. It isn’t totally certain what they were used for, but they may have been used on graves to scare away evil spirits. In the 1920s they were became Ugly Jugs and may have been used to store alcohol; they were made ugly to scare children from touching the containers and their contents.

Face jug, South Carolina, ca. 1850

http://river.chattanoogastate.edu/orientations/ex-learn-obj/Face_Jugs/Face_Jugs_print.html

Utilitarian vs. DecorationWhich one can you use? In other words, which one is utilitarian or functional?

Which is purely decorative?

If your piece is meant to be functional, consider the phrase:

Form follows function.

• What does this phrase mean?• How may it influence this project?

Coil Pot Objectives:• Create a coil effigy pot. An effigy is a 3-d image

or representation of a human or animal. • Your piece will be functional, but will also

contain sculptural, decorative elements inspired by an animal or human form. The pre-Columbian effigy pots, Ancient Greek pottery or other historical pieces may inspire your coil pot.

• Consider craftsmanship and attention to details.

Student Work

Sketches: Artists do multiple sketches to work out and refine ideas. Your first sketch may not always be the one you end up using. Sketching will help you plan and work

faster with the clay which can dry quickly.

Sketch 3-5 ideas. Consider the following:

• What animal or human features will you add, and how will this contribute to the expressive quality of your piece?

• What may your container hold or display?

• How simple or complex do you want the container to be?

• How may you decorate the surface?

• Bring in a photo of the animal. A reference photo makes it much easier to sculpt than relying on just your memory.

Resources for ideas, demonstrations, and clay terminology:

http://www.clayhound.us/sites/miss-qua-caddo.htm

http://www.theclaystudio.org/

http://www.nceca.net/static/resources_teachingtools.php

http://ceramicartsdaily.org/

http://www.moco.or.jp/en/intro/guide.html