The Art of Making Pottery

Pottery is one of the most durable forms of art. Fragments of pottery have been found in archaeological digs that have survived millennia, revealing valuable information about the history of civilizations throughout the world.

Clay is a natural resource that can be shaped, molded and manipulated into almost any form that a potter envisions for his creation. A potter can shape clay into a variety of functional items like plates, bowls and jars as well as sculptures.

The creation of pottery requires a lot of focus and attention. The hands and mind work in synergy to form the piece of pottery, removing outside distractions and helping reduce stress. Pottery also offers a natural exercise that strengthens the hands, wrists and arms.

Many pottery techniques require the use of molds to achieve a consistent look. Creating a mold is the first step in the process of making a ceramic piece. Creating a ceramic mold can be done by several different methods including hand building, throwing on the wheel, jiggering and pressing.

Ceramic ware is made from raw materials such as clays and glazes. Pottery makers select clays that have certain characteristics to make the best finished wares possible. Glazes are also created with specific colors and effects in mind. The color of a glaze is determined by the temperature and atmosphere in the kiln during the firing cycle. For example, red glazes turn green with too little reduction (a stage in the firing cycle where oxygen levels are reduced and the kiln’s flames pull out oxygen from the glazed pieces). Clays, glazes and other materials used in the creation of pottery are subject to rigorous quality control. Raw materials are checked for proper ingredients and adherence to specifications and kiln temperatures are monitored with heat cones and thermocouples.

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