Ceramics at OHS
Custom mugs by teacher and ceramicist David Walker
David Walker took his first ceramics class in his senior year of college hoping for “an easy A.” Walker, now 38 years old, has been teaching at Owensboro High School for 17 years, and has taught his ceramics class here since 2002. After that first class in his senior year, Walker took multiple levels of ceramics throughout college and graduate school. Outside of ceramics, Walker also teaches Mixed Media Art, Theater Art, and AP Studio Art.
In his basic ceramics class, Walker teaches his students how to prepare clay, use hand building techniques, and how to use glaze. In his advanced ceramics class, Walker teaches his students wheel throwing techniques while refining the abilities students picked up in the basic course. Throughout the year, ceramics students will work on multiple sculptures and pottery projects and in the advanced class, they will learn how to use a pottery wheel.
Throughout the years, he says he has seen many things in his class, “I once taught a student who got so angry at her piece that she took a bite out of it and had clay dripping from her teeth,” said Walker. This event illustrates why Walker says his class is challenging but very fulfilling. Outside of school, Walker runs a side business called Walker Custom Ceramics, and does drawing commissions occasionally.
