Tuesday, May 17, 2011

All Glazed Over:Professor helps students excel within the 3-D pottery program 3/8/2011




Sign Made by all of Orcutt's Students

         by Jason Hall

    Even though there is a large sign that reads “3-D ART,” the pottery studio is discreetly tucked away in the depths of the campus at WVU Parkersburg.
    When opening the door to the studio, carefully look around before walking among the buckets of water, hoses, electrical cords, and drills. These obstacles are the tools of the trade that are encountered throughout the 2000-foot studio.
    The odd aroma of glaze baking is an obvious indication that students have been busy producing masterpieces of clay.
    Throughout the past three years, the pottery program has been modifying its studio.
    Although the three-year-old electric kiln is a welcome asset to the studio, the new potter’s wheels have been the newest edition to room 0200.
 Enrollment growth averaged 10-14 students every semester over the past three years making it clear that Instructor Zachary Orcutt needed more space.
    Orcutt hails from upstate New York and has a BFA from Syracuse University, MFA from Bowling Green State University and attended an apprenticeship program at Johnson Atlier Technical Institute of Sculpture, where he learned bronze casting. The college awarded Orcutt “Promising New Faculty” in 2007-08 and the “Faculty of the Year” award in 2009-2010.
        The traditional potter’s wheel is heavy and large; therefore to create more space WVU Parkersburg purchased 10 new Pacifica Eklecric Potters Wheels.
    “The new electric wheels are nice because they are much easier to use and are much lighter and smaller. We are now well equipped,” Orcutt said.
      Although the gas kiln is so old that the door has been replaced, it still maintains the 2,345 degrees integrity of a new one. “It still produces a nice glaze result, and I’m trying to research grants so that the pottery program might maintain and possibly prosper,” Orcutt said.
    WVU Parkersburg students will showcase some of the pieces created by the program April 18 and 19 outside the library between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
            The Parkersburg Art Center will host an exhibit on Mar. 18 – April 18 of the WVU Parkersburg students and faculty artwork.The Parkersburg Art Center will host a reception for the artists on Mar. 25.
 
Potter's Wheels


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