The Art of Pottery

Pottery is an art form that involves constructing vessels with clay. This ancient craft has a long history, spanning thousands of years, and is still practiced today. From antique urns to contemporary hand-thrown vases, pottery is a versatile home decoration that can keep a room from feeling cold or uninviting.

Before making a piece of pottery, the clay must be cleaned and prepared. Any dirt and small rocks must be removed. After this, the clay is de-aired or de-moisturized, which prepares it for shaping in a variety of ways. Once the clay is shaped it is dried and then fired. Once the firing is complete, the pottery can be glazed.

Potters can choose from three main types of clay for their creations. Earthenware is the most common clay for potters because it is less expensive, durable, and plastic (easier to mold). Stoneware pottery is made from more dense and harder clay than earthenware, and porcelain comes from China and is translucent.

The glazes for ceramic ware must be carefully controlled during the firing process. The color of a glaze is determined by the oxidation state and environment of the transition metal ions in the glaze. For example, a celadon glaze turns green only when it is fired under reducing conditions. Oriental pottery uses a similar reduction-firing technique to achieve red glazes.

As technology advances, the production of pottery has become more industrialized. Pottery makers now use a variety of methods such as jiggering and pressing, which allow them to make large quantities of the same shape.

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