Where Did You Go??!!!

Well, one of the tea bowls I made is missing. No idea where it could be. I put it in the shelf to be fired alongside my other tea bowl and only one came out.... It's a mystery.

So now I have to make 3 more tea bowls! Today I was supposed to start my teapot in class but we ran out of clay! I know right, how does a ceramics class run out of clay? (I don't know...)

Since I couldn't wheel throw, I spent the period glazing my tea bowl, which I finished! I'm really proud of it and will post a picture once it gets fired.

Tomorrow I will start my teapot and other tea bowls!

失った
Ushinatta
Lost

Happiness

I've definitely being falling behind on my WISE work and I feel horrible about it! I just got a new job and I've been getting a lot of hours and between that and studying for finals, WISE creeped its way to the back of my mind. I'm back now and am here to stay (until June, of course)!

Ms. G wanted us to respond to five questions after reading "Happiness Revisited".

1. When do you feel most happy?
I'm assuming this question is relative to my project... I feel most happy when I am wheel throwing. I really enjoy it and its exciting to just start off with a ball of clay and transform it into a tea bowl or an intricate vase.

2. React/Respond to the article.
This article was really inspiring. I especially love the line-- "Yet we cannot reach happiness by consciously searching for it. 'Ask yourself whether you are happy,' said J.S. Mill, 'and you cease to be so.'" I think happiness is something that comes to you naturally. It can't be forced and it can't be erased. The little steps in life help you reach happiness but without living your life fully, you can't truly be happy.

3. Where are you on the flow chart? (I included a picture below so you know what I'm talking about)
I think right now, I'm in between A3 and A4. It's not so much that my skills are low, it's that I don't have enough time given the challenges that I'm facing in my project. I'm working my way towards A4 now and hopefully I will end my project on that note.

4. How has this changed/remained the same throughout the course of your project?
I've definitely fluctuated between A4 and A3 during my project. I started out being really comfortable with my project and staying on top of things, and then as my work load picked up for my other classes and aspects of life, I began leaning towards A3. I just need to figure out how to manage my time, leaving enough for WISE.

5. How can you achieve flow?
Practice makes perfect. With practice, your skills become greater and your challenges easier. That being said, taking on new challenges once you have mastered a skill keeps you in that flow.

Tomorrow I am going to wheel throw 2nd period and get on track with my work!

幸福
Kōfuku
Happiness

Stupid Wheel

Ms. Lutter had to cancel our mentor meeting today because she had a meeting second period. I won't be able to meet tomorrow and I have a final on Friday so we will just meet again next week.

I was really frustrated today. I had some extra time left in ceramics and decided I would throw a tea bowl. And I did. And it was gorgeous. And then the stupid wheel started to spin on its own and my tea bowl came flying off and became ruined. Ugh.

I watched a video today of a potter throwing a tea pot. I learned how to make a lid today in class but this video definitely help clarify things! It was easy to follow along and I was extremely impressed by his final product.

Due to having a final exam on Friday, I'm going to have to press pause on my WISE project until after that. 60% of your grade is A LOT!

Will return on Monday with updates!

研究
Kenkyū
Study

Sketches Explained

Ms. G left a comment on my latest blog post, about my sketches, and urged me to further my thinking and explanation of my designs for my tea set. To be honest, I chose that design because I love the way it looks. My eye was drawn to this particular design because of the contrast of white and red. Red is my favorite color and the flowers represent a Japanese cherry blossom.

After doing some research, I learned that the cherry blossom is a prominent symbol in Japanese culture. The cherry blossom represents many things, one being the "transient nature of life." It also represents the Japanese purity and simplicity. 

I think my project has shifted more to ceramics than the Japanese tea ceremony. I have become more immersed in actually making my tea set rather than researching about the tea ceremony. I'm not really sure how to connect my research and my hands-on work. That's a problem that I will talk to Ms. Lutter about tomorrow. 

Ms. G also wanted us to blog about how we have gotten out of our comfort zone during this project. I think for me, talking to random people in the community was something outside of my comfort zone. I met with Suzanne from the EAP at Cornell, Mizue Kido (Japanese tea ceremony expert), and sat in on a pottery class in Trumansburg. 

桜の花

Sakura no hana

Cherry Blossom

Sketches in Bed

After playing 25 volleyball games this weekend (yes, 25) and hurting my jaw, I spent the day in bed with ibuprofen and lots and lots of ice. I did manage to get some WISE done, though!

I sketched my ideas for my tea set and used this tea set and the shape of this tea pot for inspiration. I'm happy with my outcomes!

I'm going to glaze all the designs because I am really bad at carving. Also, the red color for the flowers and the tray will be less red and more plum-ish. Well, actually, I will have to see what Ms. Lutter has first. The background color for everything will be white, just like the picture. 

I'm going to fire my two tea bowls tomorrow and make the other two this week. I probably won't glaze anything until I finish constructing all of the elements. 

Because I missed class today, I wasn't able to share my piece of research I found for a classmate. I might as well just post it here! +Emma Preston, I found this article about banjos that I think you would enjoy. http://entertainment.time.com/2013/04/05/the-banjo-ification-of-pop-why-the-instrument-is-everywhere/

For those who don't want to read it, it's basically just about how the banjo has become a prominent part of pop music over the last decade or so. I hope Emma brings her banjo in some time and plays us a sweet, sweet song!

バンジョー
Banjō
Banjo

Two Down, Two To Go

I made another tea bowl today! I originally made two, but after I took the second one off the wheel, I realized it was off-centered and threw it in the slop bucket. I'm happy that I have two though, because I'm halfway done! I'm planning on going in this week and making the other two and spending the weekend brainstorming design ideas and what not.

This project is finally coming along and I'm getting really excited!!

Disrupting My Comfort Zone

Brian Grazer talks about making things difficult for himself on purpose to disrupt his comfort zone. He wants to learn by challenging himself and taking risks. Ms. Gergely said today that "there is a fine line between difficultly and stupidity" and I completely agree.

I think it is completely necessary to take risks in life and do things that you normally wouldn't do. That being said, there is a difference between plunging head first into the most dangerous surfing spot with no experience and taking a scuba diving course. You have to gain experience and practice (!) before you can actually learn something.

Relating that to my project, I have definitely improved my ceramics skills from the very first week of class to now. I still only have one tea bowl and am planning on going in tomorrow 2nd and 8th period. Hopefully I can make one each period! I'm still stuck on what designs to do so I will have to do some more research on that.

I also talked to Ms. Gergely today about using my teapot that I have to make in ceramics class for my WISE project. Ms. Lutter told me it was double-dipping but Ms. Gergely said, even though it technically is double-dipping, it would seem silly not to be able to use it. That means I have to put in double the effort and focus to make this teapot look great!

リスク
Risuku
Risk