EHS students have ample opportunity to discover the arts through courses like Sculpture, Photography, ETV, Painting, Drawing, and Ceramics. The Ceramics program is led by Ms. Jacinta Majithia who structures the course deliberately to move students organically from research, to imagination, to working with materials to bring life to their ideas.
Ms. Majithia explains: “We begin by learning hand-building techniques using coils and slabs, and we explore industrial methods for faster-paced construction, such as wheel throwing and mold making. In the first part of the semester, students focus on creating sculptures—leaning more toward fine art outcomes. In the second part, they shift to making a set of functional wares like plates, vases, cups, and bowls for their families, with decoration inspired by the various styles we've researched like White and Blue China, the different adaptations from Europe and Japan, and the original Japanese Kakiemon style, as well as the English Botanical Ware. The research phase is meant to inspire the decoration of the set of plates they are making to bring as a present for home.”
The beginner-friendly speed of Ceramics resonates with and empowers Mackenzie Hughes ‘28, who says, “This is my first time taking a ceramics class ever and so far, I love it! We get to do many different projects and try new techniques. Once you find what you like, you can focus on that more since you get a lot of creative freedom. I love to do the wheel and make pieces that I can bring home and use every day. I hope to be in ceramics next semester as well!”
After mastering skills, students are quick to embrace the meditative quality of ceramic construction. Anderson Adams ‘27 says, “I’ve really enjoyed making bowls this semester because shaping them on the wheel feels satisfying and rewarding. Glazing is my favorite part; it’s relaxing and creative, and I love seeing how the colors transform after firing.”
For Ms. Majithia, the reward of teaching Ceramics is watching students bring their unique perspectives to the clay: “Every project is unique, and you can see the students learning about the science of pottery while they develop their own unique ideas! What is amazing is that every person has their own personal touch and style, and it’s beautiful to see those skills being polished as we create each piece.”