At first glance, they look like pcv tubing – but the sculptures on display outside the Museum of Art are truly ceramic creations. Crafted and placed by students in Ann Christenson’s beginning ceramics class, the pieces are made from leftover ceramic tubes made for last year’s visiting artist – Linda Sormin.
Christenson, professor of fine arts, said the students built the pieces in kilns using wire and Egyptian paste. The paste is something “between a glaze and clay – which melts but doesn’t run like glaze,” she said. The paste is used as a type of glue to hold the ceramic tubes together. It also gives the sculpture color and a reflective surface.
There are about 20 students in the class and this was their first week project for this semester.
