Learn the tools and techniques you need to start making ceramic mugs, bowls, and more! Step-by-step instructions complete with color photographs Includes a chapter on bisque firing, waxing, and glazing 4 basic pottery projects for the beginning potter The art of pottery making is described in detail for the beginning potter. Complete with a chapter on tools and materials to get started, this easy-to-use guide explains and illustrates how to wedge clay, use a pottery wheel, shape and trim pots, determine clay thickness, add handles, and a host of other pottery-making techniques. It also contains a chapter on bisque firing and glazing, the final steps in creating beautiful and functional pottery. Includes complete instructions for making a large bowl, three styles of mugs, and a sugar bowl and creamer set.

Glass as an art form has an ancient tradition; the archaeological record suggests that artisans in Egypt and Mesopotamia were fabricating glass vessels and ornaments during the fourth millennium BCE. Its durable nature, range of colours, malleability, and most of all, its optical transparency are qualities that have made glass a premiere art medium. Over a lifetime, Frederick Birkhill has explored the unique qualities of glass and the numerous techniques and intricacies of working with it. The result of these decades of study is a body of work that is extraordinary in scope, technical expertise, and sheer virtuosity. This book, from The Artist Book Foundation honours this gifted artist. From his time in England at Burleighfield House, the studio of stained-glass artist Patrick Reyntiens, to his unprecedented visit to Lauscha, the village in East Germany famous for both its art and scientific glass production, and his subsequent career as an explorer, teacher, and master of the glass arts, Birkhill has devoted himself to furthering the appreciation of the medium and sharing his vast experience with colleagues, collectors, and students. His works appear in numerous museum collections, including those of The Corning Museum of Glass, the Museum of Arts and Design, the Mint Museum, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Smithsonian. Complementing the scholarly contributions by authors with significant backgrounds in the glass arts, the book features in its extensive plate section the lavish photography of Henry Leutwyler, which offers readers an opportunity to examine the complex details and artistic mastery of Birkhill's oeuvre. In addition, the monograph offers a glossary of glass-art terms, a detailed chronology of the artist's life, his extensive exhibition history, and a list of the numerous awards he has received. For those who are passionate about the glass arts, this monograph will be a feast for the eyes.

The total number of extant Apulian red-figured vases cannot fall far short of 10,000, and the present work (the first of two volumes) is the first attempt to survey the history and development of the fabric as a whole, from its beginnings in the later fifth century BC to its end around 300. It does not attempt to give a complete corpus, but the authors have tried to include all the more significant workshops and to give a representative selection of the minor pieces. Many Apulian vases display a very high level of technical and artistic competence, and the representations upon them are often of remarkable interest, not only for their illustrations of mythological and theatrical themes but also for the light they shed upon the daily life, customs, and religious beliefs of the Greek colonists and native inhabitants of Apulia.

A major contribution to our knowledge of the Worcester porcelain factory in its early years, based on a single large and elaborate dinner service commissioned by an Irish family. 2020 Winner of the American Ceramic Circle Book Award The early years of the famous Worcester porcelain factory established by Dr Wall have always been a little mysterious, owing to the destruction of the records of thebusiness for this period. Alec Cobbe's discovery of family papers listing the purchases over a period of years of a particularly beautiful and ornate table set have enabled him to give a vivid glimpse of how the factory interacted with its customers. He is able to describe the commissioning of perhaps the largest service of first period Worcester porcelain on record by Thomas and Lady Betty Cobbe for Newbridge House Co. Dublin. It was bought in stages from 1763 as the family travelled from Dublin to Bath each year, stopping at Worcester en route, as other Irish gentry did. The Cobbe service, uniquely in the context of British porcelain, was accompanied by a full set of Irish silver and steel cutlery fitted with Worcester porcelain handles matching the service. The various pieces of porcelain and their historical context are described as well as their painted decoration, and the sources for it. The later history of the service is outlined and its gradual dispersal in the nineteenth century, culminating in a final sale of the remaining pieces lot by lot in a Christie's sale in 1920. This book celebrates Cobbe's reassembly of more than 160 pieces of the original service over a period of more than thirty years and their return to Newbridge following their exhibition in the State Apartments at Dublin Castle. Overall, the book gives an important insight into Irish social life and patronage in the mid-eighteenth century. Alec Cobbe was born in Ireland and still resides in Newbridge House, Co. Dublin, where his ancestors have lived since it was built in the middle of the eighteenth century. He practises as an artist and designer. As a passionate collector, he added to his family's historic collections and assembled the world's largest group of composer-owned keyboard instruments.

More than a dozen patterns for rectangular panel-style lamps feature easy-to-replicate continuous designs. Some patterns include foil inlays; all feature beautiful but not overly detailed designs that ensure successful completion.

This inspirational and practical book features the work of contemporary artists with clear step-by-step projects for anyone to try. It takes a look at materials, from translucent glass tiles and fabulous smalti to broken ceramics and mirrored glass, and explains how to use them. All the techniques are covered in detail, and there are essential tips for using texture when designing. Photographic instructions are given for over 60 individual projects, which make it easy for anyone to make mosaics. This delightful book reveals how this enduring medium can bring style and texture to both home and garden.

Hypertufa containers - also known as troughs - are rustic, striking, versatile, and perfect for small, Alpine plants. A mix of cement, perlite, peat, and water, they are simple and affordable to make at home. Hypertufa Containers details everything a home gardeners needs to know to make their own troughs and successfully garden in them. Readers will discover the amazing variety of plants that thrive in troughs. Plant portraits include growing and cultivation information along with potting tips. The book features step-by-step instructions for making hypertufa containers in a variety of shapes and sizes. The instructions are easy to follow and feature colour photography. Hypertufa Containers is for container gardeners, rock gardeners, and people looking for a new DIY project.

This book explores the persona of the artist in Archaic and Classical Greek art and literature. Guy Hedreen argues that artistic subjectivity, first expressed in Athenian vase-painting of the sixth century BCE and intensively explored by Euphronios, developed alongside a self-consciously constructed persona of the poet. He explains how poets like Archilochos and Hipponax identified with the wily Homeric character of Odysseus as a prototype of the successful narrator, and how the lame yet resourceful artist-god Hephaistos is emulated by Archaic vase-painters such as Kleitias. In lyric poetry and pictorial art, Hedreen traces a widespread conception of the artist or poet as socially marginal, and sometimes physically imperfect, but rhetorically clever, technically peerless, and a master of fiction. Bringing together in a sustained analysis the roots of subjectivity across media, this book offers a new way of studying the relationship between poetry and art in ancient Greece.

This book presents a wealth of images that will spark the imagination of all who see them. There are times when all artists struggle for inspiration. This can be particularly true when you try to create patterns, textures and designs with which to decorate your work. In this book, Carolyn Genders presents a wealth of images - of both natural and manmade objects - that will spark your imagination as soon as you see them. The book also highlights how these images can be visually abstracted, refined and developed to create other beautiful patterns, designs and forms. The result is not only a useful guide to how the creative process works but also a visually glorious sourcebook of images. This book is a must for all - whatever field you work in and whether you are an amateur or a professional artist.

A new pottery tradition has been developing along the border of northern Indiana and southern Michigan. Despite the fact that this region is not yet an established destination for pottery collectors, Michiana potters are committed to pursuing their craft thanks to the presence of a community of like-minded artists. The Michiana Potters, an ethnographic exploration of the lives and art of these potters, examines the communal traditions and aesthetics that have developed in this region. Author Meredith A. E. McGriff identifies several shared methods and styles, such as a preference for wood-fired wares, glossy glaze surfaces, cooler colors, the dripping or layering of glazes on ceramics that are not wood-fired, the handcrafting of useful wares as opposed to sculptural work, and a tendency to borrow forms and decorative effects from other regional artists. In addition to demonstrating a methodology that can be applied to studies of other emergent regional traditions, McGriff concludes that these styles and methods form a communal bond that inextricably links the processes of creating and sharing pottery in Michiana.

The gripping story of the lure of porcelain, or 'white gold', from the Number One bestselling author of The Hare with Amber Eyes. ** A Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller ** "Other things in the world are white but for me porcelain comes first" A handful of clay from a Chinese hillside carries a promise: that mixed with the right materials, it might survive the fire of the kiln, and fuse into porcelain - translucent, luminous, white. Acclaimed writer and potter Edmund de Waal sets out on a quest - a journey that begins in the dusty city of Jingdezhen in China and travels on to Venice, Versailles, Dublin, Dresden, the Appalachian Mountains of South Carolina and the hills of Cornwall to tell the history of porcelain. Along the way, he meets the witnesses to its creation; those who were inspired, made rich or heartsick by it, and the many whose livelihoods, minds and bodies were broken by this obsession. It spans a thousand years and reaches into some of the most tragic moments of recent times. In these intimate and compelling encounters with the people and landscapes who made porcelain, Edmund de Waal enriches his understanding of this rare material, the 'white gold' he has worked with for decades. 'This is a haunting book, a book that amasses itself piece by piece, gaining in weight.' Olivia Laing, New Statesman 'A mighty achievement' Guardian

This book explores the persona of the artist in Archaic and Classical Greek art and literature. Guy Hedreen argues that artistic subjectivity, first expressed in Athenian vase-painting of the sixth century BCE and intensively explored by Euphronios, developed alongside a self-consciously constructed persona of the poet. He explains how poets like Archilochos and Hipponax identified with the wily Homeric character of Odysseus as a prototype of the successful narrator, and how the lame yet resourceful artist-god Hephaistos is emulated by Archaic vase-painters such as Kleitias. In lyric poetry and pictorial art, Hedreen traces a widespread conception of the artist or poet as socially marginal, and sometimes physically imperfect, but rhetorically clever, technically peerless, and a master of fiction. Bringing together in a sustained analysis the roots of subjectivity across media, this book offers a new way of studying the relationship between poetry and art in ancient Greece.

In this beautifully designed and illustrated volume, leading craft scholars, curators and artists come together to assess the post-War history and contemporary flourishing of craft in America. Their critical gaze encompasses craft practice by artists, professional makers, and amateurs; crafting as it takes place in the studio and in the domestic space, and as it is exhibited in museums and galleries; craft that uses materials and crafting in the digital arena, and critical issues confronting craft such as industry, education and digitization.

Torsion and tension are characteristic of the vessels created by the exceptional Japanese ceramicist Shozo Michikawa (b. 1953), whose works are reminiscent of rock strata and lava flows. Michikawa is known for his unique technique, for turning edgy, dynamic sculptures on the potter's wheel. First he cuts and scores a solid block of clay before he carves out the interior hollow through pressing and turning with a rod and his hands. Natural-looking surfaces emerge, just as geological forces formed the earth's surface - an irrepressible energy from the inside out. Michikawa's pots, with their irregular shape, granular texture, and rich earthen hues are so poetic in their appearance that they have been likened to 'haikus in clay'. With a selection of works from the last fifteen years, Shozo Michikawa introduces the first comprehensive insight into his ceramic production, which has attracted attention across the globe. The Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg; LACMA Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, University of Oxford; National Museum of Wales, Cardiff; Philadelphia Museum of Art; Qinglingsi Temple, Xi'an and Shimada City Museum are among the institutions that have acquired his work. This book accompanies an exhibition, which will tour between venues: Lacoste Gallery, Concord, MA (US), 3 to 24.6.2017; Erskine, Hall & Coe, London (UK), 11.10. to 2.11.2017. The artist is active on facebook, at https://www.facebook.com/shozo.michikawa

Take your creativity to the next level with the ultimate artist's bible! Covering everything from how to draw and paint to ceramics, sculptures and printmaking, you'll get the most out of your passion for art with this beautifully illustrated artist's handbook. It also includes newer areas such as digital art and animation - perfect for modern artists! Discover everything you need to help you release the artist within! This essential art book includes: - All areas of visual art; including drawing, painting, 3D art, printmaking, textiles, and digital arts including photography - Each section is written by an acknowledged expert in that field - both practising professionals and university-level teachers - Comprehensive coverage of equipment and tools, including step-by-step sequences, where appropriate on how to use - Techniques are illustrated in step-by-step sequences by professional artists, with basic skills leading on to more advanced techniques Whether you're dipping in to find a specific painting technique or browsing for artistic inspiration, this artist's reference book covers all the elements of painting and drawing. Brush up on the art basics like choosing the right tool, mixing watercolours, and preparing a canvas. Take your skills further and learn how to glaze a pot, try out 3D printing and mosaic, or create a digital collage. The Artist's Manual will help you become a more confident, creative artist. Equipment, materials, and methods are fully explained and beautifully illustrated. Perfect for artists of every skill level, you'll be creating your own masterpieces in no time with this guide to art. It's a must-have for every artist's studio!

The Egyptologist Samuel Birch (1813-85) began to study Chinese at school, and obtained his first post at the British Museum cataloguing Chinese coins. He maintained his interest in Chinese civilisation throughout his life, but also collaborated with C. T. Newton on a catalogue of Greek and Etruscan vases, and with Sir Henry Rawlinson on cuneiform inscriptions, while also specialising in the examination and cataloguing of the Museum's growing collection of Egyptian papyri and other artefacts. Birch describes this two-volume, highly illustrated work on ancient pottery, published in 1858, as filling a perceived need: 'A work has long been required which should embody the general history of the fictile art of the ancients.' Volume 1 covers the composition and techniques of the pottery of ancient Egypt and Assyria, with notes on Jewish Phoenician wares, and begins an examination of the techniques and art of the Greek ceramicists.

The Egyptologist Samuel Birch (1813-85) began to study Chinese at school, and obtained his first post at the British Museum cataloguing Chinese coins. He maintained his interest in Chinese civilisation throughout his life, but also collaborated with C. T. Newton on a catalogue of Greek and Etruscan vases, and with Sir Henry Rawlinson on cuneiform inscriptions, while also specialising in the examination and cataloguing of the Museum's growing collection of Egyptian papyri and other artefacts. Birch describes this two-volume, highly illustrated work on ancient pottery, published in 1858, as filling a perceived need: 'A work has long been required which should embody the general history of the fictile art of the ancients.' Volume 2 continues to examine Greek pottery, including the work of named or identified individual craftsmen, and then moves on to Etruscan and Roman wares, with a short final section on 'Celtic, Teutonic, and Scandinavian pottery'.

The fifth Baron Abercromby (1841-1924), a soldier and keen archaeologist, published this two-volume work in 1912. His especial interest was prehistoric pottery, and he introduced the word 'beaker' as a term to indicate the late Neolithic/Chalcolithic western European culture which produced these characteristic clay drinking vessels. His aim was to produce a chronological survey of British and Irish ceramics from the late Neolithic to the end of the Bronze Age, to classify these by type and geographical area, and to examine the goods associated with dateable pottery in burials and cremation urns. This heavily illustrated work also puts the British beakers into their European context and considers the possible indications of movements of people given by variations in style. Volume 2 discusses cinerary urns, and the grave goods, including the so-called 'pygmy urns', associated with them.

The fifth Baron Abercromby (1841-1924), a soldier and keen archaeologist, published this two-volume work in 1912. His especial interest was prehistoric pottery, and he introduced the word 'beaker' as a term to indicate the late Neolithic/Chalcolithic western European culture which produced these characteristic clay drinking vessels. His aim was to produce a chronological survey of British and Irish ceramics from the late Neolithic to the end of the Bronze Age, to classify these by type and geographical area, and to examine the goods associated with dateable pottery in burials and cremation urns. This heavily illustrated work also puts the British beakers into their European context and considers the possible indications of movements of people given by variations in style. Volume 1 examines burials, the associated grave-goods, and skeletal remains, especially skulls, which may provide ethnographic information.

Chihuly at Kew: Reflections on nature is a celebration of the work of iconic artist Dale Chihuly, who once again is exhibiting his luminous artworks in Kew's spectacular landscape, featuring pieces never seen before in the UK. The book showcases these utterly unique artworks across one of London's most spectacular landscapes, in a perfect marriage of art, science, and nature. Stunning photography depicts the dazzling art installations situated across the Gardens, set within the landscape as well as in glasshouses and in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art. Highlights include the Drawings and Rotolo series, some of the most technically challenging work that Chihuly has ever created, as well as Seaforms, undulating forms that conjure underwater life. A specially designed sculpture suspended from the ceiling of the newly restored Temperate House provides one of the moss stunning features of the exhibition and book. An introductory essay by Tim Richardson accompanies the artworks, along with artist's chronology and biography.

Dramatic social and political change marks the period from the end of the Late Bronze Age into the Iron Age (ca. 1300 700 BCE) across the Mediterranean. Inland palatial centers of bureaucratic power weakened or collapsed ca. 1200 BCE while entrepreneurial exchange by sea survived and even expanded, becoming the Mediterranean-wide network of Phoenician trade. At the heart of that system was Kition, one of the largest harbor cities of ancient Cyprus. Earlier research has suggested that Phoenician rule was established at Kition after the abandonment of part of its Bronze Age settlement. A reexamination of Kition s architecture, stratigraphy, inscriptions, sculpture, and ceramics demonstrates that it was not abandoned. This study emphasizes the placement and scale of images and how they reveal the development of economic and social control at Kition from its establishment in the thirteenth century BCE until the development of a centralized form of government by the Phoenicians, backed by the Assyrian king, in 707 BCE."

Originally published in 1923, this book examines the history of glass-making in England from its origins in Imperial Roman techniques to the end of WWI. The text is richly illustrated with drawings and photographs of examples of glass and glass-making techniques though history. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of this decorative and practical art.

Long held as one of the most spiritually charged Zulu art forms, Zulu ceramics have entered the 21st century as a diversifying and vital art. From independent artists to craft cooperatives, Zulu Pottery examines the techniques and individuals continuing this great tradition. Zulu Pottery focuses on contemporary ceramics from the northern half of KwaZulu-Natal, where ongoing traditions are kept alive, to the heart of Durban, where newer artists are transforming and innovating. Masters such as Nesta Nala – as well as a new generation of artists, including Jabu Nala and Clive Sithole – have travelled the world demonstrating the art of Zulu pottery.

Bringing together the different aspects of pate de verre for beginners and advanced glassmakers alike. Why the increasing interest in pate de verre throughout the international glass art community? In this go-to resource, learn the reasons behind the current shift of perception regarding translucent versus opaque glass -- and perhaps even see glass itself in a different way. Both Stewart and orvik are glass artists and educators, and their guidance here offers an unparalleled experience. For makers, detailed process instructions are included, plus unique glass colour recipes for making your own glass palette to facilitate experimentation and reduce costs. A comprehensive history of the 5,000-year-old technique incorporates new authoritative research correcting previous perceptions of pate de verre's place in history. Illustrating the new shift in insights of what glass art is and what it can do, this book captures almost every aspect of pate de verre. Bridging the span from traditional to contemporary practice, it shows the versatility of this "chameleon" material through interviews with and work by 23 contemporary glass artists. It opens up the field of glass, allowing us to understand, use, and then go beyond traditions and push the boundaries for glass sculpture.

A Passion for China is a personal celebration of the everyday beauty of tableware. Acclaimed ceramicist, artist and designer Molly Hatch explores the family stories behind beloved items; the bowls and cups we have inherited or chosen with love and care. Molly Hatch also brings the history of porcelain, potteries and patterns to life through her stunning, hand-drawn illustrations. 'As we move through our daily lives, eating breakfast, sipping an afternoon cup of tea or gathering for a family dinner, the patterned ceramic objects we live with are precious witnesses to our stories. We eat from them, they warm our hands after a cold walk outdoors and we pull them out to celebrate the births, marriages and lives of our loved ones.' A tribute to the rich heritage of the vintage plates, jugs and pots that make our homes our own.