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Functional Pottery
If you are a functional potter, you've come to the right place. Here, you'll find loads of articles on making functional pottery. Whether you enjoy coil building, slab work or throwing on the potter's wheel, you'll find a wealth of information on pottery techniques; from forming to finishing. And, if you haven't already, be sure to click on over to the Free Gifts section of the site to download your free copy of 7 Great Pottery Projects. It is a great learning tool for those interested in functional pottery. The projects are presented in an easy-to-understand, step-by-step format. The photos pretty much duplicate what you'd expect to see at a pottery workshop or a demonstration -- all the key steps are included. Don't miss it!
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November 11, 2009
Let’s Talk Function: Two Potters Discuss Making Handmade Pottery for Use
Today we are presenting an excerpt from the December 2009 issue of Ceramics Monthly in which several potters included in the 2009 Strictly Functional Pottery National discuss what functional pottery means to them and the qualities necessary to make their utilitarian work successful.
November 9, 2009
I value the time it takes to throw each cup and the variation found in each cup. The work hints more at a practice than a final object. Beyond that, the cups need to hold liquid of some sort—preferably whiskey.
November 9, 2009
The addition of a lid or cover on a form adds additional complexity to the making and the composition of both form and surface that I find challenging. The covered form allows for play in scale of form and surface treatments as well.
November 9, 2009
I am fascinated by the ideas of intended use and actual use. My intention is to celebrate handmade utilitarian work on two different levels, both as symbolic objects that affect our lives on a purely visual level and as objects intended for use.
November 9, 2009
If I make a piece for function, then it needs to work. Although, I think that if your main focus is function then a lot of times you leave little to no room for creativity, which is my first priority in making a piece.
November 9, 2009
I have more questions to ask than to answer, particularly about the various meanings of function. Is there a distinction between function and utility? Do we use the word functional when we mean to say tableware? Is function inextricably linked to food? Is containment an essential parameter for function? There aren't necessarily answers; I am more interested in the conversation.
November 9, 2009
Professionally, I make teapots because they embrace the complexity of parts coming together as a whole. This form comes with more design parameters than most traditional forms, and each decision in the process shapes the way the following decisions will be made. In some ways, they are like choose-your-own-adventure books—simply (or complicatedly) life.
November 9, 2009
I think it is important for the pot to clearly speak of function, but I am not concerned with what the user ultimately puts in it. I did have in mind the ceremony of preparing, serving, and eating food while making this piece. For me, the daily ritual of eating and the aspects involved in getting ready to eat, such as grocery shopping or gardening, are tied together with making pots.
November 9, 2009
I think that the challenge of making a bowl lies in achieving the curve of the bowl and overall balance. I can spend what feels like forever smoothing that curve at the bottom so it really has no beginning or end and is just seamless.
November 9, 2009
I think a user's awareness of the intended function adds to the piece and further communicates with the user what I was thinking, but it doesn't have to be important for the pot to be enjoyed. There are some pots I make, particularly the baking dishes, that are intended to move from oven to table (utility to presentation) in a way that I think truly enhances them and adds another level of information/communication with the user. But, it doesn't bother me if someone prefers to enjoy a piece for simply its visual aspects; that's a lovely compliment all on its own.
November 9, 2009
My functional pots are forms that convey the significance of what I call "domestic intimacy" a recognition of the impact that domestic actions have on our identities and the quality of our lives. This flower vase with bowl is a piece that celebrates the power of beauty in the domestic environment.
November 9, 2009
Using formal language to describe necessary qualities of a functional pot is a beginning, but for a piece to become truly successful it requires a much more dynamic investment and agreement between maker and user.
October 7, 2009
Over the past thirty years, Terry Gess has developed a personal logic that allows him to engage fully with the world around him. The short version of the story is this: Whole life, whole potter. The long version has to do with learning how to see, touch, and hear the nuances of daily life, then intuit a light-handed, rich response through clay.
September 15, 2009
Daniel Johnston does not blush about his humble beginnings, nor will he turn his back on the historical influences that shaped who he is today. In fact, by way of introduction, he insists on announcing his genealogy in clay. "I have been trained in the Leach, Cardew and Hewitt school of making pots," his artist statement and our interview begin. Bernard Leach is widely recognized as the grandfather of studio pottery in the United States and Michael Cardew was Leach's student. From 1997 to 2001, Johnston apprenticed with Mark Hewitt, a student of Cardew's. As Johnston began to navigate from these influences toward a voice of his own, an additional triumvirate of geographical influences came together: England, Thailand, and North ...
September 11, 2009
Handle Pulling Video: Tony Clennell Demonstrates How to Pull Great Looking Handles for Pottery
In an excerpt from his DVD Get a Handle on It, potter Tony Clennell shares his expert advice on handle pulling. Tony shows us that, with a little practice and patience, great-looking pulled handles are within any potter's grasp. Watch the video!
August 13, 2009
Punch bowl, 19 in. (48 cm) in height, thrown and altered porcelain, soda fired to cone 10, 2008. Lorna Meaden making a punch bowl )pictured above) at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts. Whiskey Bucket, 12 in. (30 cm) in height, thrown and altered porcelain, soda fired to cone 10, 2008. Lidded jar, 11 in. (28 cm) in height, thrown and altered porcelain, ...
July 8, 2009
Working Potters Series: Using the Internet as a Marketing and Sales Tool for Your Pottery Business
A couple of months back, we posted a sneak preview of from the Ceramics Monthly Working Potters issue (which is on newsstands now!). In it, Paul Eshelman and Diana Fayt discussed how they have built successful careers as studio potters. Well, we received a lot of good feedback on that one from folks who are trying to do the same. So, we thought we should just go ahead and make this a series on Ceramic Arts Daily. Today, as part of our Working Potter series, successful potter Naomi Cleary shares her approach to the handmade pottery business.
June 22, 2009
As part of our Working Potter series, successful potter Jennifer Allen shares her approach to the handmade pottery business.
May 22, 2009
Working Backwards: Liz Zlot Summerfield
with Cut Paper Templates by Liz Zlot Summerfield Avocado Floral and Striped Butter Dish, 6 in. (15 cm) in length, handbuilt earthenware, terra sigillata, glaze, fired to cone 04 in oxidation, luster, 2008. Cream, Sugar and Milk Set with Brick, 12 in. (30 cm) in length. Floral and White Striped Box, 3 ½ in. (9 cm) in height. Both are handbuilt earthenware, with terra sigillata, underglaze and glaze, fired to cone 04 in oxidation, 2008....
May 1, 2009
As part of our Working Potter series, successful potter Mark Hewitt shares his approach to the handmade pottery business.
