A taste of pottery can become a lifelong addiction. The deep concentration of the creative process is very meditative, and calming. Pottery is a seductive, and sensual craft offering many challenging options, and provides a unique outlet for anyone willing to explore its mysteries.
Clay
The choice of clay will largely dictate the end product. Brown clay for heavy earthenware pieces, fine white clay for delicate porcelain-ware. Clay with grit for handwork while finer clay is preferred for wheel work. Pottery can be overwhelming for beginners despite the mountains of literature available on the subject, therefore a good pottery group or teacher is invaluable.
Preparation
Before proceeding the clay is wedged. This is therapeutic and highly beneficial for people with anger management issues who can pummel the living daylights out of a piece of inert matter, with impunity! The technique of wedging is similar to kneading, and is essential to eliminate air bubbles. Trapped air expands during firing, and will crack or explode the pot.
Handwork
The creation begins with handwork or throwing- I don’t mean a tantrum. Slab, and coil work offer comprehensive grounding, and are recommended for beginners. Clay is rolled into a thin sheet, a slab, and left to dry until leather hard. Using templates pieces are cut from the slab, and joined to make objects such as boxes, trays, vases; your imagination is the limit.
Coil Work
Coil-work is fun, and easy. Clay is rolled into a sausage, and is joined to the outer edges of a round base, forming a ring. Further coils are added on top, joining, and smoothing each layer, leaving the sides even, and regular. This process is repeated until the desired size is reached.
Throwing
Throwing requires a pottery wheel, either manual or electric. Throwing techniques take time, and patience to learn, but once mastered the rewards are immense. Students start with small wedges of clay, and gradually progress to larger pieces.
Bisque Firing
After a drying period, pots are shaved of excess clay, and smoothed with suitable tools, which can be purchased from pottery supply outlets. Finally, the piece can be burnished or left to dry before bisque, or first firing in a kiln to temperatures around 900 C. This hardens the piece but leaves it porous enough to take on glaze.
Pit Firing
Decoration requires careful consideration. Pit firing is a primitive and simple method. Dried organic matter, grasses, seeds, leaves are layered thickly around, and on top of bisque pots, placed in a pit. They flash burn with varying intensity producing spectacular colour bursts on pots even pinks and yellows. It is essential to experiment with organic matter. I personally prefer dried elephant dung, however if you don’t have access to elephants, any of the above alternatives would be quite suitable. The fire smoulders, and smokes the pots leaving them dappled in shades of grey, and black. When cool, burnished pieces can be waxed, and polished, intensifying the colours and hues.
Raku
Raku is an ancient Japanese tradition adapted to western styles. Bisque pieces are dipped in raku glaze and fired in a kiln to approximately 1000 C, when the kiln is opened to reveal pots shiny with molten glaze. The heat is intense, protective wear is imperative. Red-hot pieces are removed with long handed tongs and placed in sawdust lined metal containers which are quickly covered with dry organic matter and left to smoke until cool. The glaze hardens and crackles during the sudden cooling process; smoke darkens and accentuates crackle lines creating a crazed effect. Raku firing is very dramatic. The anticipation is intense, the outcome is always unpredictable. Each piece is unique and depending on the generosity of the kiln gods their gifts can be spectacular. Raku and pit firing are enjoyable group activities. While you smoke your pot, you can socialise with other potters, exchange tips and ideas.
Stoneware
Stoneware firing produces functional tableware and ornamental items. Decorating techniques are limitless as are the number of commercially available decorating mediums. Dipping or spraying glaze is often chosen by the artistically challenged. After decorating, the bisque piece is fired to 1200 C upwards. Firing and cooling can take over 24 hours, opening the kiln is a highly anticipated event.
Pottery embraces people from all walks of life, all ages and genders practice in groups or alone in a garage or shed. It promises years of fulfilling creativity for the curious and a journey rich in excitement for the adventurous.
Erika Gösi - I was born in Hungary, but I have lived abroad all my life where I was fortunate to have experienced many wonders of Africa and Australia, ...
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