Pottery Making Illustrated Articles (Simple)

How do you hold your coffee mug on a cold day? Do you hold it by the handle, fingers safely at a distance from the hot surface of the mug? Or, do you slip your hand under the handle to keep your finge

I prefer working with handmade bisque molds to make my individual pieces. My basin bisque mold is the largest one in my studio. It’s a generous form that offers a variety of uses, both decorative and

Learning how I best work as an artist took some time. As an undergraduate student, I only experienced working in a communal workspace. As a graduate student, I shared a studio with one other maker for

Begin by throwing a bowl on the wheel. Since it will be trimmed into a dome and carved, I usually prefer to use smooth clay with little or no grog. The walls of the bowl should be fairly thick—I want

My pottery style has evolved over the years, but there has always been one constant: I have a passion for expressing traditional Japanese patterns on the surface of my pottery. To create the patterns,

I’ve been kurinuki curious for a long time. Much as I admired the work of artists using this technique, and wondered what it might be like to try it out, I didn’t think of it as something I would do u

A freshly made form, ready to decorate, etch, and carve, is an invitation to play. It’s such a pleasure to activate the surface with drawings and pattern. One of my favorite techniques is sgraffito, e

Cracks, cracks, and more cracks! Why do cracks happen? It could be that you’re working with a clay body that is prone to cracking. It could be the way you handled your clay during the building process

One of the health concerns I have as a potter is protecting my eyes from the dangers of looking into a red-hot kiln when checking pyrometric cones. During one of my pottery classes, we were discussing

Across the US and around the world, art shows are a major component of the art market. As an emerging artist, participating in art shows can offer increased sales and networking opportunities and the

The final step toward getting your wares table ready requires that you handle each piece individually to decide how to best clean it for showcasing. This one-on-one time allows you to discover each pi

To help you get started, this issue of Pottery Making Illustrated is all about tools—both the physical tools you use to make pots and the mental tools you use to build a studio practice.

When you are attending a party or public gathering, do you ever feel a bit dubious about eating treats like M&Ms or nuts from an open bowl? You never know who has been digging unwashed hands into the

Teco Pottery, an Illinois-based company, was started in 1885 by William Day Gates.

I think a lot about the environmental impact that pottery making has on the earth. Potters make objects that are permanent. Sometimes I have a problem with this, and other times I’m okay with it. We n

I’m captivated by the processes and experiences that are associated with ceramics. The material can exhibit vitality, spontaneity, and tension, all the while being understated. I’m inspired by histori

I’ve always been interested in the various ways that humans navigate the mysteries of our natural world. Specifically, folklore, ritual, and sympathetic magic based in nature have long inspired my wor

Teapots are common utilitarian forms made by many studio potters. British potter Seth Cardew regarded teapots as having profound social importance, providing a focus for intimate exchanges between peo

I love throwing bulbous bottle forms with elegant, narrow necks all in one piece. However, when teaching some of my students, many of them find this form too challenging. I devised this simplified, st

Ever since I started my journey with clay, I have lived in a rural place. After college I moved to the Smoky Mountains to live with some friends, where I stumbled upon Arrowmont School of Arts and Cra