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Pottery
by Marti Calderson
http://www.rpottery.com
Pottery is a ceramic material fashioned from clay that is
mixed with other minerals. Typically it is formed into
utilitarian vessels. Pottery is produced when wet clay is
molded into the desired, then placed in an oven called a
kiln in order to induce permanent changes resulting in
increased mechanical strength. Typically the piece is fired
a second time after a glaze has been applied in order to
give it a shiny, more polished appearance.
The three basic categories of in pottery-forming techniques
are handwork, wheelwork, and slipcasting. It is common for
wheel-worked pieces to be finished utilizing handwork
techniques. Slipcast pieces are not typically finished in
this manner.
Most of the pottery seen today is mass produce in an
assembly-line fashion using mechanized reproduction.
Pottery is now made more for utilitarian uses than for
pleasure and art, although many artists still make works of
art from pottery. Clay can come from all over the world and
different places have different types of clay. Natural clay
is dug from the ground and most potters use many different
kinds of clay mixed together to make one piece of pottery.
It takes a lot of heat to harden pottery pieces, anywhere
between 800 to 1200 degrees Celsius. Many pottery pieces
are called terra cotta or earthenware and it comes in many
shapes and uses. Be careful with such pieces though because
terra cotta can be easily broken because of is porous
nature. Clay pieces that are heated in even hotter ovens
are called stoneware and is made out of heavier clay
mixtures that make them stronger than terra cotta pieces.
Porcelain is some of the most beautiful pottery made today.
Its mixture of clays has been refined many times over to
give it its almost translucent images. This clay is called
kaolin and its mixture has very controlled amounts of
feldspar which is a very common mineral found in most rocks
and then baked at very low temperatures.
Pottery is made for myriad purposes ranging from valuable
works of art, inexpensive dinnerware, and simple household
items to electronic parts and Space Shuttle tiles. The word
pottery can also refer to a factory that makes it. Pottery
ware is part of the ceramic product group that encompasses
cement, bricks, sewer pipes, and other industrial products.
Since the end of World War II, the design and decoration of
ornamental ceramics has been influenced largely by
individual artists. Commercial products, such as
tablewares, have reflected the styles and patterns
developed by these potters, whose work has often showcased
remarkable originality.
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