John assists a student from the Autumn 2018 Art 2602: Ceramics course as she sets hand-formed, glazed earthenware tile into mortar.
A student in Art 2100: Beginning Drawing works on a 3-hour graphite study of an antique chair during autumn semester 2017.
Two concepts form the basis of what I teach students in my courses: sensitivity and organization. At the foundation level, both are integral as students expand their knowledge of materials, tools and techniques. I instill sensitivity by asking students to look at things with eyes afresh. Exercises may range from pacing techniques in drawing to ceramic projects that involve several stages of preparation, execution and completion. I ask that the students be physically and mentally engaged, and totally attentive to the task at hand. I ask them to do more than look–to use all the senses, to ponder the unseen, the imagined, the remembered.
Rochelle Brown’s bisque-fired wares await glazes. Art 2602: Ceramics: Low-Fire, Autumn 2019
I promote the development of organizational skills in order to support and complement the students’ intuitive abilities. Aspects of this classroom context focus on an awareness of compositional and structural dynamics, and insistence on careful observation to facilitate original representations and arrangements of form. I encourage students to experiment yet insist on clarity and thoroughness.
Art has the potential to stimulate students by inviting their participation in something that, once they are immersed, transforms creativity and expands the scope of intellect. My students sense the enthusiasm I have for what I do as an artist, teacher, and university citizen. I am committed to continually seeking new ways to engage their skills, ignite their passion, and expand the realm of knowledge that informs their view of the world.
John Thrasher
In drawing classes students refine principles of observation to help them identify and describe the shapes and values of light they see.
Above, a student executes 2-minute drawings of a life model in Art 2100, Beginning Drawing, Autumn 2015.
Students from Art 2504: Life Drawing, sketch tropical plants in the OSU-Mansfield greenhouse during spring semester 2017.
By observing the natural world and addressing its appearance through visual language, students develop skills of interpretation, expression and analysis.
Above, Chuck, Avery McGrail, 2014, graphite on paper from Art 2100, Beginning Drawing.
With practice, students are able to successfully convey subject matter through direct visual observation and conscious response. The fundamental skill of drawing expands awareness, and engages manifold thinking strategies.
