Ceramic artist encourages Jones College students to experiment while creating

ELLISVILLE – Art instructor and ceramic artist, Janet Smith spent an afternoon with aspiring Jones College artists sharing her secrets to creating. For the most part, Smith said she doesn’t have a plan when she begins creating. In fact, many of her pieces on display at the Jones College Eula Bass Lewis Art Gallery this month, are a result of teaching her students at Co-Lin Community College over the last 32 years.

“A lot of pieces come out of teaching my students how to be more experimental,” said Smith. “I was teaching the slab method to students and I began to work along with them, exploring the simplicity of the box. I would usually only half construct a box as an example and throw mine in the slip bucket, but these were saved, and I enjoyed the process and found such satisfaction in their completion.”

As a potter, Smith said she loves to touch everything. Working with clay as a tactile artist gives her creative freedom to “lose” herself. Playing around with textures and experimenting with shapes is important but more importantly, Smith said she likes her art to have some functionality. Most of her work has lids for example, which can be used as a keepsake box or a canister.

“I like playing with handles and lids, concentrating on smaller pieces and textures to make something functionally creative,” said Smith.

Teapots are another favorite creation for Smith because they have personality. Smith explained to Jones students she also liked experimenting with tissue paper transfer. However, she said she likes finding ways to make the tissue paper transfer more expressive and uncontrolled. Probably the biggest question Jones students had for Smith was her secret for not breaking pottery in the kiln as it heats up.

“I don’t make fragile stuff. I love to touch everything,” Smith explained. “I fire up things so slow and hold it there for hours to make sure all the moisture is out of it so it doesn’t break.”

For more information about the JC art show contact the gallery at 601-477-4148 or visit the gallery which is open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., and Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The gallery is closed for lunch daily from 11:30 until noon. If you want to know more about the Jones College Fine Arts Department check out the JC Fine Arts Facebook page at JCJCFineArts.