What is Pottery?

Pottery is a creative art that involves making objects from clay that are hardened by heating them, usually in a kiln. It is one of the oldest forms of decorative arts, a medium that has evolved alongside human civilizations for thousands of years, becoming an integral part of their culture and way of life. It can also be a great activity to help kids learn about history and culture as well as how other people make pottery in different parts of the world.

It is easier for kids to get engrossed in pottery than other art forms like painting and drawing because clay is much more forgiving. There is no need for perfectionism with pottery because children can pick up their clay pieces and start again, which helps build confidence. It’s important for kids to be able to let go of their mistakes because pottery is often time-consuming and requires a lot of attention, which can make it easy to get distracted.

There are many different techniques for creating pottery; some involve shaping the clay into a shape and others require additional steps to decorate it. To prepare the clay for these methods it needs to be de-aired – which is done by either using a pugmill or manually through the process of wedging – so that it loses all moisture, allowing it to be shaped and decorated.

Clay work is a very calming, yet challenging activity that requires full focus and can be beneficial for people who suffer from conditions like anxiety, depression, or stress. It has been found that the act of clay work reduces cortisol levels, which alleviates symptoms of these conditions.

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