RuiXuan Xu

Since 2022, I have worked to lead a friendly space of personalized tools, workshops and sales for students interested in pottery. In 2026, we raised $279.50 by refining and vending abandoned pottery pieces accumulated from the club and classes as a donation to the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. I value teaching beginners handbuilding and wheeling techniques, designing our promotional posters and allocating budgets in order to create a welcoming, expressive and flexible space for students wanting to expand and exceed past rigid assignment rubrics, like I did myself.

Our club materials consist of low fire Plainsman L210/L212 stoneware clay bodies, and fresh Mayco glazes to pair. Though sometimes I have the courage to use some discontinued Duncan sloshes as well. I find experimenting with our limited selection very rewarding!

3D Studio Design — taken in grade 10 and 11. Final grades both 98%.

In these two years of formatted courses, I have developed refinement in my documentation, use of techniques, and materials, as well as gained independence in continuously working through initial designs, construction issues, and kiln management. This year especially, I focused on incorporating wheeled pieces into skills I learned in the past.

This coming semester, I hope to explore my limits by throwing upsized pieces and participating more often in the reclaim procedures. All while continuing to learn from others and applying new techniques.

This course is the foundation of my wheeling skills. I spent two weeks driving into the mountains of Hunan where they taught us the history of pottery, throwing techniques and glazing methods. My first 4 hours were spent centering pieces of clay.