6th grade artists listen for the distant roar of waves crashing New Buffalo Beach in their ceramic seashells.
School's out for summer next week and my middle school artists are taking home with them one-of-a-kind seashells modeled with their fingerprints. It was with great anticipation that my students begin their ceramics unit that they had been looking forward to all trimester and I was excited to teach them how to make their own seashells using fundamental hand-building skills.
This lesson is credited to my amazing friend from Hope College, Daisy Maestas, a fellow art teacher who shared this tutorial with the Ceramic Teachers K-12 Facebook group. Check out her YouTube channel The King and the Flower and support them on Etsy!
The artist inspiration for this project was Japanese artist, Noriko Kuresumi, known for her intricate porcelain forms created in elegant simplicity as if they were discovered in the sea.
The 6th and 7th Grade Art classes built their own seashells out of clay using the double pinch pot method.
A double pinch pot is made by pinching two small bowls out of clay and then attaching them together to make a sphere.
The twist was manipulating these pinch pots into a seashell by stretching the clay into pointy cones and adding a spiral. Many of the students gleefully joked that they were actually making ice cream cones! 🍦
Guided demonstrations are always my favorite part of a ceramics unit. I just love working alongside them making things out of clay and helping my students do their best work.
A little collaboration goes a long way.
Working out the fine details...
Unique creations! A pointy shell and the little guy who lives inside the seashell.
Seashells ready for the bisque fire!
So much variety!
While the shells were drying out, students reflected on their work by writing Artist Statements to document what they had created. I love including this kind of self-reflection in the learning process.
After the kiln firing, students sanded down the edges to smooth out their shells
My middle school artists were proud of their work and couldn't wait to take them home!
5th Period 7th Grade Art Class
6th Period 7th Grade Art Class
Not all who wander are lost. Some are searching for the perfect seashells like stars in the sand. One cannot collect all the seashells on the beach, but we can create our own treasures by hand!
Enjoy a few good beach days this summer break!
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