I took ceramics this year because I enjoy art, but I am not very skilled at drawing and painting. In my first semester of ceramics, I liked pushing myself to new limits. I am excited to pursue ceramics further, and hopefully at the ib level. My visit to Portugal last summer served as a source of inspiration for my collection. The tiles there were blue and white with intricate designs. I chose to do a more manageable glaze, as I am still learning. I dipped my pieces in white, and painted the other half blue. My goal was to make an appetizer set for my mom. My appetizer set included a bread bowl, a salad/soup bowl, a bread plate, and a cup. I am pleased with how my pieces came out, but it took an immense amount of trial and error. I continuously threw away perfectly good pieces, because they had a small flaw. I had to acknowledge and accept that I am still a beginner, and my pieces will only improve from here. Now that ceramics has come to an end until next school year, I can leave this semester with a brand new passion and a deeper understanding of ceramics.