The ceramics program is now online, offering a way for students to work with clay from home.
The beginning ceramics course is made up of 36 lecture hours and 72 lab hours, with pass/no pass grading.
Professor Michael Hillman said students will learn how to manipulate and work with clay as well as learn about the process and history of ceramics from the comfort of their homes.
“I introduced a lot more art history of ceramics into the curriculum, and with permission from Dean John Vaughn I went on campus to pick up a ton of clay and bring it to my house and have students individually come to my house to pick up their materials,” Hillman said.
Vaughan explained that eventually, all courses that require lab hours will return to campus, but an official plan has not been made or approved by the Citrus College Coronavirus Task Force.
“We are working on plans for when that day comes (returning to campus), but there is not a current plan for students to return to campus other than essential worker training,” Vaughan said.
The move to online learning proved to be difficult for both the students and the professors. Hillman found himself learning online programs to teach his courses.
“I had to place my iPhone on a ladder in my garage and I had to create demonstrations. I had to learn, I’ve never done it before, how to upload to YouTube videos all within two days’ time,” he said.
“It was a real challenge from the faculty perspective, let alone for the students.”
Students like Jeanpaul Boghos have found both working with clay and understanding the material harder from home.
“I think working in the lab and with the people is completely different than at home,” Boghos said.
“For me, being in the lab is fully concentrating and forgetting my daily problems and responsibilities and just making art, but now that I have a lot on my plate … it feels like I’m not learning anything,” Boghos said via text.
Although many things have changed with the course moving online, Hillman’s love for the art of ceramics has not, and he will continue to translate this into his lectures.
“My favorite thing about teaching ceramics is working with the malleability and gooeyness of the clay and basically taking Earth and transforming it with fire and water into a completely different material,” Hillman said.
