Pottery – A Versatile and Accessible Form of Art

Pottery is a versatile and accessible form of art, and it has long been popular in amateur circles. Workshops, classes and open studios are widely available in many cities and countries.

Pottery is formed by combining clay and water in order to create a solid object that can be made into a variety of shapes. Once the clay is shaped it is dried and fired in a kiln to turn it into ceramics. Pottery can be decorated either before firing or after firing. Decorations may include painting, carving and etching.

The oldest known pottery dates back 10,000 years, during the Neolithic revolution, when people moved from nomadic hunters and gatherers to settled farmers. Early pots were hand-formed and functional, largely unglazed, as they had to hold liquids like water. They were usually crafted out of clay because it was inexpensive, pliable enough to shape and strong enough to hold a design.

Before a pot can be formed it must go through a series of preparatory steps, including de-airing and de-moisturizing. This is done by kneading the clay, which forces moisture from within the clay to the outside, leaving it ready for shaping.

Before the clay is shaped it can be altered by adding coarse additives, such as sand and grog, which gives the final ware texture and decreases shrinkage during drying. It can also be colored with various metal oxides and carbonates, either alone or in combination to achieve a specific color.

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