Artist statement
My name is Gabe Laurent. I am 14 years old. I was born in Portland and I have lived here all my life. My favorite food is popcorn. I like to watch TV, such as Modern Family and Fear of the Walking Dead. I took ceramics in sixth grade and now it is my capstone. Next year I will go to Grant High School. I have three rats and two snakes. One of my rats is hairless and like to make Little castles for them.
My Capstone is ceramics and my theme is functionality. I want to make my work functional so that it can be used to eat or drink from. I also enjoy making my work aesthetically pleasing. This year I made as many different ceramic forms as possible. I also tried to do my best. I start by centering my clay on a pottery wheel, so that it’s still and doesn’t shake around. It took me at least several weeks to learn how to center. After the clay is centered, I open it up and raise the walls. It takes a lot of patience, but it’s worth it. After the forms are trimmed, and bisque fired, I paint them with underglazes (colored clay slip). I use tape to create my designs because it keeps the edges clean. After a 2nd bisque fire, I apply clear glaze, which makes it shiny and food safe. I am always learning and trying to improve my craftsmanship. However, I am a perfectionist so I always feel like there is something that needs improvement. I have learned a lot about the process of ceramics this year, including throwing on the wheel, glazing, and the firing process.