All About Pottery

 

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Pottery is a common and widely appreciated art form. The ability to turn clay into a masterfully crafted piece of art does not go unnoticed. We see beautifully made and glazed vases, bowls, and dishes displayed in homes, stores, and anywhere else we go. Although we use these handcrafted pieces for special occasions or décor, pottery's first uses were for a much more practical use. Being one of the oldest art forms, the practices and purposes of pottery have evolved since its inception.

 

Dating back to the Neolithic times, the oldest known works of pottery were created over 10,000 years ago. As people began to shift away from hunting and gathering and start farming, a growing need for an object that held water arose. With clay being a readily available and abundant material, people started crafting pots over a fire that would allow them to carry water.

 

Although the origins of pottery trace back to Africa and the Middle East, the Greeks are the ones who transformed the technique into an art form. Like before, the vases and bowls made were used for practical purposes such as drinking and storing wine and oil, but the Greeks decorated their pieces. Honoring Greek mythology, the pottery created during this time paid homage to legends and gods with intricate decorations. Additionally, the Greeks were the first to add color to their creations by mixing clay with other materials to form different hues.

 

While making their pieces, the Greeks created their pottery entirely by hand without the help of a wheel. It wasn’t until around 3000 B.C., during the beginnings of the Bronze Age, did the first development of a pottery wheel come into existence. Potters designed a slow-moving platform which allowed the clay to be spun while they worked. This device became known as the slow wheel.

 

A century later, the slow wheel had transformed into what was called the fast wheel. This device was almost identical to the slow wheel; however, this new mechanism allowed the platform to spin on an axle. Potters would place their clay on the wheel and spin or kick it. Like a modern pottery wheel, they would then mold their shape out of the clay while it spun on the wheel. The advancement of the wheel made it faster for potters to create pieces and easier to replicate them. When electricity was invented a few millennials later, the modern pottery wheel we know today was constructed.

 

Perhaps the biggest evolution of pottery was developed in 600 A.D. with the beginnings of porcelain. What we now call “fine china” began during the Han Dynasty in China. These elaborate pieces were crafted with white clay rather than traditional red clay, which gave them their polished look and color. Potters mixed granite with the clay and then fired their pieces at very high temperatures. The delicacy and expense of porcelain made them difficult to ship. For this reason, potters from other parts of the world began to curate glazes that replicated the ornamental appearance of porcelain.

 

From decorative bowls to vases for wine, pottery is one of the most versatile and functional art styles! Since its inception, the uses of pottery have grown overtime as well as its techniques. We hope this blog taught you something new and gave you a new appreciation for this wonderful art form! We invite you to browse out online gallery, and as always come by to see our art in-person.