Sierra Palochak

The reading for this week was very intriguing. I enjoyed learning about the decorative purposes of terracotta. Before examining this reading, I had no idea about how much terracotta is used to surface buildings. I was amazed to find out that New York City is absolutely covered with ceramic artworks that were painstaking created by different craftsmen. The reading explained the various processes that were used to create these ornaments. I am learning more as I go along in this class that the production of ceramics is a time consuming process that takes unbelievable skill. I also enjoyed the part of the reading that speaks about the unique qualities of terracotta of which I was previously unaware. However, after being informed about terracotta's unique abilities, it seems to be a perfect material to adorn architecture. I was intrigued by the fact that clay has the capability to mimic other materials, an ability which lends itself to being used for various projects. The last portion of the article that was very meaningful to me was the use of color in these pieces. As a painter, color is everything to me. I believe that it completely changes how an individual perceives an artwork. I enjoy the fact that the ceramic pieces were coloful, because it allows the audience to have a full aestetic appreciation for the piece and also draws more attention from the public.