Art Courses in Mexico & Japan

Professor Doug Hanson's work has been shaped by his encounters with traditional potters from around the globe. During a unique two-block sequence taught in Mexico or Japan, he introduces students to local artisans and other cultural treasures as they study ceramics and drawing.

During the first block of the course, students visit village artists, museums, and other sites to gain first-hand knowledge of local arts. Armed with a sketchpad, they make drawings of what they see, focusing on the designs used by the potters. During the second block, they return to campus to begin creating their own ceramics, inspired by what they've recorded in their sketches.

Along the way, they get to know the artists as well as other hosts and guides. "The purpose of course is to study the ceramics of another culture, but the secret of the class is that, in the end, the students learn much more about the country and its peoples," Hanson says.