As a teacher I taught using a dance approach, and I use a similar approach with clay. No, I never swirled through the classroom, or did any dosey does. But what I did was to listen to my students. I found out who they were, and I knew what I had to teach. Then the magic came, trying to create learning situations in which students connected with and embrace so I could push them to their limits, whi
le I always respected who they were. Clay isn’t any different; I dance with the materials, processes, and firing methods. I am learning about myself and pushing the materials to the limits. Presently I am working in two directions. I make my sculptural geese and I make functional stoneware for everyday use. My waterfowl series is not really about ducks and geese at all. While it is important to me that the birds are depicted realistically, they really represent people in different stages of life. Mothers, fathers, children, siblings, friends, people who have affected us and how we interact with them. I have chosen the obvara firing process as it is symbolic of life. I fire the pieces in a kiln to about 1800 degrees and then open the kiln when everything is red hot. I submerge the pieces in a magic brew which singes wonderful patterns. For more information on this process go to janicechassier.com. Also view the Obvara video on Facebook. My functional work is stoneware that is microwave and dishwasher safe. Presently I am experimenting with different glazes that I've made using raw materials and making mostly mugs to suggest landscapes. True to who I am and as an artist, I like to control parts of my work (the hand sculpting and the throwing on the potters wheel) and leave other parts to controlled chance...if there is such a thing. I experiment, take notes, figure out my materials and processes, and then use them with the knowledge I have and just go for it! The element of chance is exciting, scarey, frustrating, and what I do. Learn as much as I can and then allow the process to finish the surface. Fired ceramics have been around since 23,000BC. Now your piece becomes a part of your history. When, where and why you have this piece is part of its history, its story. And like children who grow, develop, and change, so does clay. Starting as a lump of clay, molded into something of purpose, fired to become stone like, something to be used daily or brought out for a moment of celebration, these pieces become a part of our lives. And if by chance, its life has been taken, clay is like stone, and becomes a part of the earth again. Enjoy my pieces. I loved making them!
