Author: Sarah Bittner

From Clay and Dust to Pottery

I followed my roommate, Laura Dove, as she wraps up her senior year here at Piedmont University, as a pottery major. Laura makes all sorts of pottery, from mugs to bowls, and sells them on her website. I followed Laura as she goes through the pottery making process of creating a mug to be shipped to a client. This includes steps such as creating, trimming, glazing, firing, and packaging the mug.

  • After mixing clay and letting it dry to the leather-hard stage, Laura Dove takes her mug to be trimmed on the wheel. This is the first step after originally throwing the mug on the wheel. (Establishing Shot)
  • Once on the wheel a second time, Laura Dove trims the edges of the mug. This is where Laura can perfect the shape and clean up the edges of the mug. (Close-up)
  • Once the mug has completely dried to the bone-dry stage, Laura Dove will pour glaze onto the mug. From this, Laura can create colorful designs on the side of the mug. And although the colors cannot be seen here, they appear once the glaze has been heated and melted down onto the mug.
  • Once the mug is completely covered in glaze, Laura Dove wheels the pottery on a cart out to the kilns. Here we can see Laura passing other pottery students as they wrap up their art finals for Piedmont University. (Signature Shot)
  • Laura Dove must get help from other students when moving the cart outside where the kilns are. Here we can see Nermeen Arif assisting Laura in this trip of the pottery journey. (Interaction)
  • After the pottery has been cooked inside the kiln for a few days, Laura Dove can finally take it out to inspect how the mug turned out. If there are no cracks or I imperfections, Laura will continue onto the next stage in the process.
  • Here Laura Dove posses with yet another successful pottery piece. Now Laura will be able to move onto the final stage in this process. (Portrait)
  • Finally, Laura Dove can prep and package the mug to be shipped off to the client. Every piece Laura makes must go through each step with now complications to reach this final stage in one piece. (Clincher)

Symposium

  • Walker Capelle talks to the audience about his project, “The Impact of College Football Rivalries on Schools”. Capelle and his team inform both students and faculty at Piedmont University’s annual Symposium.
  • (Left to Right) Noah Reardon, Walker Capelle, and Joe Helenbrook inform students and faculty over their topic “The Impact of College Football Rivalries on Schools”. Students across Piedmont University came together this day to present different topics during Piedmont’s annual Symposium event.
  • (Left to Right) Judges Madison Smith, Hannah Parhm, and Kerry Waller laugh over some of the funny jokes made in the presentation, “The Impact of College Football Rivalries on Schools”. Faculty and Staff volunteered to judge and assist during Symposium.

Easter Weekend

  • Susan Bittner takes photos in downtown Winder, Georgia. Her oldest daughter plans to graduate in May of 2023, and so she went to take her daughter’s cap and gown photos over the Easter weekend.
  • Susan Bittner is rolling out the dough to make Lefse this Easter weekend. Lefse is a Norwegian dish, and a tradition to make every holiday or big occasion in the Bittner household.
  • The Bittner family dyes eggs for Easter this weekend. A fun family tradition that everyone partakes in every year, no matter how old they are.