Pottery Making Illustrated Articles (Simple)

Careful consideration must be given to its capacity for serving, the expansion and straining of tea leaves, heat retention, the comfort of the handle, the fit of the lid, its balance when tilted, the quality of its pour, and its ability to be cleaned.

When making work for an atmospheric firing, the unpredictable variations that the kiln can produce are my primary inspiration for surface and form.

I draw inspiration from many sources. Growing up in the Midwest, I’m influenced by rural landscapes and Rust Belt city infrastructure.

Making one of these teapots is a labor of love. When I schedule time for making them, I ensure that I have a series of at least four consecutive days in the studio.

The wide, strap-style handle provides comfort, despite the torque of a tall mug. And, the full-ceramic construction (at least with the mid-fire clay and glaze we use) allows drinks to be reheated in a microwave.

These cups are an exploration into echoing those qualities of glass in clay. It is the precision of the trimming on this pot that gives it a clean, glass-like aesthetic.

One meal I find I often make for guests is rice bowls. They are incredibly versatile and filling. I use cereal/soup bowls to serve them as the wide rims hold all the ingredients without overflowing the width of the rim.

This process of throwing and altering introduces even more to the pot’s human anatomy with a face and (for lack of a better term) a butt.

I am most inspired by the tension between the order and chaos of everything from nature to our daily rituals. One of my favorite items to make are small snack saucers.

Excerpted from Functional Pottery by Robin Hopper, published by The American Ceramic Society.

Three accomplished potters, Taylor Sijan, Kyle Brumsted, and Olivia Avery, take us through their process of design, component building, and assembling a teapot.

I am endlessly captivated by human ingenuity and the objects humans create to facilitate life, leisure, and entertainment.

I enjoy slab building because it opens my practice up to endless nuances. I am able to emphasize my love for construction and process and thoroughly articulate specific forms.

This particular design is directly inspired by an old clutch I loved—a soft, worn piece that held a small change purse, an embroidered handkerchief, a two-dollar bill, and a tube of lipstick.

This humble yet remarkable ingredient deserves a place in our homes that reflects its importance in a functional and celebratory manner.

Naturally, traditional Korean ceramics has become my most prominent interest and focus of research.

The simplest explanation I can give as to why I make bird pots is that I do it because it makes me happy.

This article offers a variety of handles that will add to the uniqueness of your bowls as well as ensure they effectively serve their purposes.