The aim of the Ceramics program at the Lamar Dodd School of Art is to help each student develop a personal style and individual expression using clay as his or her primary material. Both utilitarian and sculptural approaches are taught. Ceramics students develop a working knowledge of the various techniques of the ceramic process including clay and glaze formulation, kiln building and firing, throwing on the potter’s wheel, and numerous methods of hand forming. The Ceramics program exposes students to a wide range of contemporary and historical examples of ceramic art. Students at all levels are encouraged to enter competitive shows and attend workshops and national conferences.

Since 2012, the Ceramics program has been housed in its own 15,000-square-foot building that contains kilns and studios for students and faculty. Kilns include two atmospheric kilns, six downdraft gas kilns, and one 90-cubic-foot car kiln. There is also a clay making room, a glaze room, and a computer lab. Learn more about the studio spaces at the Lamar Dodd School of Art here.

Undergraduate Ceramics

Students interested in pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) degree in the area of Ceramics must first submit work through the portfolio review process. Learn more about the portfolio review process by which undergraduate students apply to their area of emphasis here [ arts.franklin.uga.edu/portfolio-review ]. The Ceramics program prepares BFA candidates to present an exhibition that demonstrates their ability to develop a mature and cohesive body of creative work and to pursue Ceramics at the graduate level through the creation of a professional portfolio. Learn more about BFA degree requirements at the Lamar Dodd School of Art here.

Graduate Ceramics

The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program in Ceramics emphasizes personal growth. The philosophy of the ceramics area is that no one style, attitude, approach, or aesthetic direction is emphasized; advanced students are encouraged to discover the methods and aesthetic that works for them. A graduate student in the ceramics program is expected to focus on producing a body of work for the MFA exhibition that will occur at the end of the program. This body of work should demonstrate professional maturity and should be cohesive and stylistically consistent. Graduate students share a large studio space that is divided into smaller units with moveable walls and have their own kiln room, as well as access to all other kilns. For more information about graduate programs at the Lamar Dodd School of Art, contact our Graduate Office.

To see a list of recently completed MFA theses, click here.