Pottery Making Illustrated Articles (Simple)

I recently had the good fortune to travel to Spain with a group ceramic artists on the ICAN Ceramics in Barcelona Tour—a mix of cultural tours and ceramic workshops.

My work is a reflection of my interest in the marriage of the traditional vessel and a desire to address social and political issues. My training as a potter began as a utilitarian vessel maker, creat

Hand drawn illustrations on roman vessels with banding decorations.

Around four years ago, I took a sabbatical from my teaching job at Collin College in Plano, Texas. I wanted to improve my teaching methods for my beginning and intermediate ceramics students. I travel

From my perspective, a creative approach to process in ceramics isn’t about coming up with a method of work that is totally new; rather, it lies in combining existing processes in new ways. Over time,

My interest in pattern derives from form. This grew to incorporate the exploration of color, texture, and technique. In many ways, these were approaches to learning and gathering information as much a

I have been exploring texture for some time, and I enjoy the challenges associated with developing and incorporating creativity and personality into forms. The texture often becomes the focal point, s

I have always enjoyed sipping on a classic martini (with blue cheese stuffed olives, please). There’s something refined and elegant about this cocktail that makes me feel more sophisticated. With the

I began making pitchers in two parts around ten years ago. Initially, it was to make these large pots lighter in weight, but I quickly discovered it also allows for discoveries of forms that would be

Making sets is an intriguing challenge that can lead to a wealth of artistic reward. Sets often involve multiple pieces relating specifically to each other and functioning together as a whole. There’s

If you’re a maker of functional ware to be used with food or drink, it’s important to test the durability of your product. While laboratories exist that will perform a battery of durability tests for

Having just returned from the NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts) conference in Minneapolis, I’m reminded that the clay community is a collection of many small groups.

Creating requires a combination of solitude as well as breaks from the isolation. A desire to feel connected while working independently during the long winter months of the northern plains brought fo

Find inspiration in architectural ceramics next time you make functional additions for your pottery. These are ceramic chimney tops produced by The Logan Clay Products Company in Logan, Ohio.

I’m a collector of quotes, many of which uplift, inspire, and remind me of my humanity. Over the years working in clay, I also have toyed with the idea of making ceramic fortune cookies. For this year

When I make functional work, I consider the positions of everyday use—stacking cups to store on a shelf, drying plates sideways on a rack, showing the bottom of a mug when you drink, etc. My interest

I’ve always been fascinated with the tangible realities of history and the boundless fantasy of science fiction. In my work I attempt to create objects that live in that fictionalized universe where t

Handbuilt ceramic objects are an exciting and often unexpected canvas for drawings. Imagery on functional ceramics can have a life that imagery on paper lacks. The narrative can exist in the home, und

I strive in my work for clarity, subtlety, and complexity layered with a bit of humor, whimsy, or irony. Slab construction and coiling offer gesture and nuance. Each cup quietly leans, each thimble sl

As an obsessive collector of objects, I’m constantly on the lookout for items with alluring shapes and patterns. In 2014, I found a plate at a dollar shop and was drawn to its thin strips of plastic i