Let go of your pretensions squeeze, shape, knead & play your way to spiritual growth.

I am being formed by the clay. I am reconnecting with the earth, and with the other basic elements, too air, water, fire and life itself. Every gesture leaves its trail in the clay. Every fingerprint, a message. My breath fills the cavity. My touch curves the wall of a bowl. And inwardly, I am being formed by the outward practice. I am learning to trust the process, to lean into the possibilities rather than striving for some predetermined goal. I am being hollowed out, stretched and constricted, trimmed and sometimes reworked entirely. from the Prologue

Drawing from her first-hand experience of working with clay, Marjory Zoet Bankson takes you through the seven-step process of making clay into a pot, drawing parallels at each stage to the process of spiritual growth: Grounding Connecting with our core elements Kneading Awakening to the inner realm Centering Gathering everything togetherShaping Focusing inner and outer pressures Finishing Trimming away the excessDecorating Adding a playful touch Firing Committing to transformation

This simple connection with the earth has the potential to put you in touch with the whole of creation and, at the same time, your soul s longing to participate as an artist, creating something new and unique.

Through reflective questions in each chapter along with a wealth of unique clay projects that even beginners can do Bankson invites you on a journey of spiritual discovery, a path of reconnecting with your body and spirit, and with the earth itself."

Stroll through Victorian Europe to the German state Silesia and trace the escape route used by members of the Ohme family as they fled from Russian soldiers in World War II. Visit the tomb of Hermann and his wife Anna in Dresden which had been thought to be lost forever. Discover the endless variety of the beautiful porcelain pieces and the secrets to correctly identifying your Ohme collection. This book is an in-depth look at identifying and classifying Old Ivory China and Clear Glaze Porcelains. See clear and accurate photos of newly discovered marks, blanks and patterns to satisfy your desire to identify every piece of your cherished collection. For Ohme collectors everywhere. ALMA HILLMAN is an antique dealer for over 30 years who has specialized in the porcelain of Hermann Ohme since moving to Maine in 1986. She and her husband Les, ran a successful antiques shop in Searsport, Maine for the next twenty years. Along with David Goldschmitt, she published the groundbreaking book on the elusive topic of Old Ivory China, entitled "Old Ivory China: The Mystery Explored" through Collector's Books in 1998. A charter member of the national Society for Old Ivory and Ohme Porcelain, she served as president, vice president and auction chairman. After traveling to Germany and Poland to further research Ohme porcelain she and David began the arduous task of an expanded and updated resource. DAVID GOLDSCHMITT has been a practicing Emergency Physician for the past 25 years with a specialty in Disaster Medicine and Homeland Security. He has been an avid collector of porcelain for over twenty years with a passion to solve a good mystery. Born and raised in New Jersey, his ties to Maine date back to his childhood. Old Ivory China, imported so heavily in Maine, is the representation of this second home. He is also the author of "Medical Disaster Response."

H. Leslie Moody and Frances Johnson Moody never owned the company outright, but their dreams shaped North Carolina's Hyalyn Porcelain, Inc. and drove it forward to the satisfaction of an emerging, increasingly modern post-World War II America. Hyalyn's reputation for high quality led to its association with top designers like Michael and Rosemary Lax, Eva Zeisel, Georges Briard, Charles Leslie Fordyce, Herbert Cohen, Erwin Kalla, and Esta Brodey. Before moving to North Carolina in 1945, ceramic engineer and designer Less Moody prepared to organize and operate Hyalyn Porcelain, Inc. From Zanesville's Mosaic Tile Company, Ohio State University's ceramics department, Love Field Pottery, Abingdon Pottery, San Jose Potteries, and Rookwood Pottery, he gained expertise in clay formulation, glaze chemistry, product design, plant operation, project planning, advertising, and employee management. With the aid of investors, his dream came true when, in 1946, Hyalyn's first lamp bases and flower containers emerged from the shop's tunnel kiln. Thoroughly documented and illustrated with 425 images, hyalyn: America's Finest Porcelain is a complete history of Hyalyn Porcelain, Inc., and its successors, Hyalyn Cosco, Hyalyn, Ltd., and Vanguard Studios.

Get ready to take the Next Step into dimensional Sculpting by combining fusing, surface decorating and mosaics. Celebrated glass designer Leslie Perlis brings her vibrant modern style to the timeless craft of mosaics -- with a sculptural twist. This lavishly illustrated book presents Leslies unique approach that weaves together glass fusing, kiln fired surface decorating and mosaic fabrication to create outstanding dimensional sculptures. Allow Leslie to show you how to think outside the traditional mosaic square and encourage you to experiment with your creative energy. This Next Step Art Glass series was developed for crafters who already have basic glass working skills. This Dimensional Mosaics book has 18 pages of instructions to guide you through the complete process, starting with the development of a design, through the fabrication and final cleanup of a full-size sculpture. The project gallery includes 11 fully completed sculptures showcasing them with detailed illustrations and descriptions.

If you enjoy the adventure of alternative firing but have only an electric kiln, this is the guide for you. Learn how to use an electric kiln to attain the natural earthy colors and spontaneous patterns of alternative firing methods. Step-by-step instructions together with nearly 200 photos show how to get good results with saggar firing in an electric kiln, without damaging your kiln. Understand every aspect, from making the saggar and understanding your work's requirements to using terra sigillata, firing the kiln, and more. Along with clearly supplying the exact parameters you need to succeed, the guidance here also allows you the space to experiment and use your own creativity. This resource helps you extend your work with the colors and freedom of alternative firing.

A major figure in the Arte Povera movement of the late 1960s, the renowned Italian artist Giuseppe Penone is known for his exploration of the relationship between art and the natural world in a body of work that includes sculpture, performance, works on paper, and even garden design. His first works in porcelain, the exquisite disks presented here draw attention to the moment of touch—the convergence of surface and skin—that underpins so much of his work. Published to accompany The Frick Collection, New York’s temporary installation of works by Penone, this new volume comprises eleven porcelain disks that the artist made during his 2013 residency at the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres, the influential porcelain factory founded in the 18th century. A continuation of his Propagazioni (Propagations) series, begun in 1995, which includes various media, each disk bears the imprint of one of the artist’s fingertips. One of them is in gold, its imprint a variation on the artist’s index finger. Never before presented to the public, the installation of the disks in a gallery adjacent to the Frick’s early Italian paintings on gold grounds and the porcelain room kindles a rich artistic dialogue with both porcelain and gold.

The evolution and proliferation of plain and predominantly wheel-made pottery presents a characteristic feature of the societies of the Near East and Eastern Mediterranean since the fourth millennium B.C. This plain pottery has received little detailed archaeological attention in comparison to aesthetically more pleasing and chronologically sensitive decorated traditions. Yet, their simplicity and standardization suggest they are products of craft specialists, the result of high-volume production, and therefore important in understanding the social systems in early complex societies. This volume-reevaluates the role and significance of plain pottery traditions from both historically specific perspectives and from a comparative point of view;-examines the uses and functions of this pottery in relation to social negotiation and group identity formation;-helps scholars understand cross-regional similarities in development and use.

Everything You Need to Get Started with Pottery If you ever daydream about delving into pottery but aren't sure where to begin, this is your book. Professional potter Kara Leigh Ford will be your personal pottery guide, helping you to overcome any doubts about your abilities. All you need are curiosity and a few simple tools to mold stunning stoneware with confidence. Inspiring projects and primers on equipment, technique, clay types and setting up a workspace make pottery approachable for complete newcomers, as well as budding potters who want to hone their skills. Plus, gorgeous photos from Kara's studio offer visual guidance every step of the way. Enter the wonderful world of ceramics with hand building, the meditative method behind your next mug, spoon set or soap dish. When you're ready for the wheel, easy-to-follow instructions cover the foundations of throwing bowls, plates, vases and other beginner-friendly kitchenware like a pro. Each stand-alone piece builds upon a skill introduced in the previous project: Craft all ten and you've learned pottery's fundamentals! Tutorials on glazing and decorative techniques will help you discover your own unique style and understand the basics of the firing process-whether in your own kiln or at a community studio-ensuring beautifully finished pieces. Kara's can-do approach brings handmade ceramic creations fully within reach. Whether you want to make charming home decor or thoughtful gifts for loved ones, you'll find all you need to embark on your pottery journey.

Handbuilt Ceramics is a practical guide to all aspects of technique, but goes further by exploring the studio practices of ten exciting contemporary makers. Advice is given on how to get started and information on tools and equipment, types of clay and a safe workspace set-up. Handbuilding methods, such as pinching, coiling, slabbing and press moulding, are explained in detail with step-by-step sequences. Techniques for creating surface interest, pre and post firing, are included using coloured slip, glaze or paint. Ideas for combining techniques and ways to experiment are explored and encouraged, as well as tips to avoid common problems and to achieve successful outcomes. With over 350 lavish photos, this book will provide inspiration through a unique understanding of current work. It is written both for the novice and for the experienced maker looking for a new direction.

The ultimate illustrated guide for sourcing, processing and using wild clay. Potters around the world are taking to the local landscape to dig their own wild clay, discover its unique properties, and apply it to their craft. This guide is the ideal starting point for anyone - from novices, improvers and experts to educators and students - who wants to forge a closer bond between their art and their surroundings. Testing and trial and error are key to finding a material's best use, so the authors' tips, drawn from long experience in the US and Japan (but which can be applied to clays anywhere) provide an enviable head-start on this rewarding journey. A clay might be best suited to sculpture and tile bodies, throwing clay bodies, handbuilding and slab bodies, or simply be applied as a glaze or slip. The specific properties of found materials can create a diverse range of effects and surfaces, or, even when not fired, can be adapted for use as colorful pastels or pigments. Beautiful illustrations and helpful technical descriptions explain the formation of various clays; how to locate, collect and assess them; how to test their properties of shrinkage, water absorption, texture and plasticity; the best ways to test-fire them; and how to adapt a clay's characteristics by blending appropriate materials. From prospecting in the field to holding your finished product, there is helpful advice through every stage, and a gallery of work by international potters who have embraced the clays found around them.

With the invention of eyeglasses around 1280 near Pisa, the mundane medium of glass transformed early modern optical technology and visuality. It also significantly influenced contemporaneous art, religion, and science. References to glass are found throughout the Bible and in medieval hagiography and poetry. For instance, glass is mentioned in descriptions of Heavenly Jerusalem, the Beatific Vision, and the Incarnation. At the same time, a well-known Islamic scientific treatise, which likened a portion of the eye's anatomy to glass, entered the scientific circles of the Latin West. Amidst this complex web of glass-related phenomena early modern Italian artists used glass in some of their most important artworks but, until now, no study has offered a comprehensive consideration of the important role glass played in shaping the art of the Italian Renaissance. Seeing Renaissance Glass explores how artists such as Giotto, Duccio, Nicola Pisano, Simone Martini, and others employed the medium of glass-whether it be depictions of glass or actual glass in the form of stained glass, gilded glass, and transparent glass-to resonate with the period's complex visuality and achieve their artistic goals. Such an interdisciplinary approach to the visual culture of early modern Italy is particularly well-suited to an introductory humanities course as well as classes on media studies and late medieval and early Renaissance art history. It is also ideal for a general reader interested in art history or issues of materiality.

This title shows how used glass bottles and a few basic materials can easily be transformed into stylish projects like a terrarium, a snow globe, a vase, jewellery, gifts and more

Shio Kusaka’s ceramic vessels articulate poetic connections, creating a cohesive and unique installation. ---------- “It’s a striking effect—some pieces are bowl-shaped, others are cylindrical, a few have slim, sloping necks. Their linear arrangement suggests some kind of progression through time and space.” — Document Journal ----------- While pulling inspiration and techniques from ancient Japanese ceramics as well as from popular culture and everyday life, Kusaka carves new language into her artwork. Employing various types of clay and firing methods, she experiments with line, color, and size to bring fresh life to the medium. This harmonious presentation is created from individual pieces and thematic groupings, resulting in an extraordinary, unified installation to be experienced in the round. Created in close collaboration with the artist and with many detail images, this book provides a deep dive into Kusaka’s incredible work one light year. Published after Kusaka’s hugely successful exhibition at David Zwirner, New York, in 2022, this catalogue studies her singular installation from all angles. A text by Kusaka illuminates her working process and provides unique insight into this particular work.

Contemporary Raku is a complete guide to this exciting, dramatic and beautiful art form. It explains the making, glazing and firing methods employed for producing Raku-ware, and features contributions and insights from leading makers. Recognizing the deeper values of the practice, the book also considers the influences and sources of inspiration behind the work of these makers. It introduces the necessary tools and equipment, and advises on essential health and safety measures. It explains how to make vessels and forms with step-by-step photo sequences. Recipes for clay bodies and glazes for the beginner and the more experienced maker are included. Details are given on the Raku-firing process and the range of kilns used. Finally, it explores the practice of 'Naked Raku'. With over 300 illustrations, it is a stunning and detailed account to this magical process.

Josiah Wedgwood, perhaps the greatest English potter who ever lived, epitomized the best of his age. From his kilns and workshops in Stoke-on-Trent, he revolutionized the production of ceramics in Georgian Britain by marrying technology with design, manufacturing efficiency and retail flair. He transformed the luxury markets not only of London, Liverpool, Bath and Dublin but of America and the world, and helping to usher in a mass consumer society. Tristram Hunt calls him 'the Steve Jobs of the eighteenth century'. But Wedgwood was radical in his mind and politics as well as in his designs. He campaigned for free trade and religious toleration, read pioneering papers to the Royal Society and was a member of the celebrated Lunar Society of Birmingham. Most significantly, he created the ceramic 'Emancipation Badge', depicting a slave in chains and inscribed 'Am I Not a Man and a Brother?' that became the symbol of the abolitionist movement. Tristram Hunt's hugely enjoyable new biography, strongly based on Wedgwood's notebooks, letters and the words of his contemporaries, brilliantly captures the energy and originality of Wedgwood and his extraordinary contribution to the transformation of eighteenth-century Britain.

This one-of-a-kind book describes some 1400 different glass cutters collected from around the world by the author during the past 35 years. A brief history of flat window glass describes its manufacture, application, taxation, etc. from the time of the Romans, through France and England to the United States. The early use of flint tools and grozing yrnes for cutting and shaping the glass is noted. These tools were used for shaping the stained glass in the early cathedrals. Five hundred U.S. glass cutter patents and 28 U.S. glass cutter design patents beginning in 1860 through 2009 are listed by date, inventor, and title. A list of corporate, product line, distributor, etc. names are also described further as being in one or more of the 23 "Style Categories" the author has set up that show pictures of 600 cutters and detailed descriptions of all 1400 different glass cutters. An extensive bibliography is included.

Explore the human form in depth, from concept sketches and armatures to detailed instructions for constructing legs, torso, arms, hands, and head from clay. In Mastering Sculpture: The Figure in Clay, renowned sculptor and instructorCristina Cordova teaches everything you need to know to replicate the full human figure using clay. Start by developing meaningful sketches and reference points. Then learn how to make and use an armature to create hollow forms that are safe to fire in a kiln. Using patterns and slabs, you can move on to develop a full human form, head to toe. Work along with the author to create a form about two-feet tall, or choose your own size: the patterns and instructions can work in a variety of scales. Photographic demonstrations and diagrams cover the construction and articulation of feet and legs, the hip area and upper torso, arms, hands, neck, and head. Cristina includes supplementary tips and insights throughout to support the sculpting process and enhance naturalism. You'll also find a brief section on general anatomical concepts and modeling strategies to facilitate accuracy and expression as all the components come together. Whether you are a clay artist with limited experience in figurative sculpture or a figurative sculptor outside the world of ceramics looking for a straightforward fabrication strategy to create permanent compositions from clay, Mastering Sculpture: The Figure in Clay will expertly guide your way.

This work charts the development of glass over four millennia - from 18th Dynasty Egypt, through to the present day - illustrated by 56 examples from the collections held by the Ashmolean Museum.

This Element demonstrates how ceramics, a dataset that is more typically identified with chronology than social analysis, can forward the study of Egyptian society writ large. This Element argues that the sheer mass of ceramic material indicates the importance of pottery to Egyptian life. Ceramics form a crucial dataset with which Egyptology must critically engage, and which necessitate working with the Egyptian past using a more fluid theoretical toolkit. This Element will demonstrate how ceramics may be employed in social analyses through a focus on four broad areas of inquiry: regionalism; ties between province and state, elite and non-elite; domestic life; and the relationship of political change to social change. While the case studies largely come from the Old through Middle Kingdoms, the methods and questions may be applied to any period of Egyptian history.

Ceramics and Modernity in Japan offers a set of critical perspectives on the creation, patronage, circulation, and preservation of ceramics during Japan's most dramatic period of modernization, the 1860s to 1960s. As in other parts of the world, ceramics in modern Japan developed along the three ontological trajectories of art, craft, and design. Yet, it is widely believed that no other modern nation was engaged with ceramics as much as Japan-a "potter's paradise"-in terms of creation, exhibition, and discourse. This book explores how Japanese ceramics came to achieve such a status and why they were such significant forms of cultural production. Its medium-specific focus encourages examination of issues regarding materials and practices unique to ceramics, including their distinct role throughout Japanese cultural history. Going beyond descriptive historical treatments of ceramics as the products of individuals or particular styles, the closely intertwined chapters also probe the relationship between ceramics and modernity, including the ways in which ceramics in Japan were related to their counterparts in Asia and Europe. Featuring contributions by leading international specialists, this book will be useful to students and scholars of art history, design, and Japanese studies.

Take your work to the next level! In Creative Pottery, join ceramic artist Deb Schwartzkopf and grow as a functional potter, whether your background is in wheel-throwing or handbuilding. Start off with a quick review of where you are in your own journey as a potter. If you need to brush up on the basics, help setting goals, or pointers on how to translate your inspiration into your work, you've come to the right place. The rest of the book is a self-guided journey in which you can choose the techniques and projects that interest you: Go beyond the basics and learn how to throw or handbuild a bottomless cylinder. Then explore seams and alterations for projects like an oval serving tray, altered cylinder vase, and dessert boat. Learn about small changes that make a big impact, making an asymmetrical slab plate, throwing plates, and creating a cake stand. Master bisque molds and use them to open a new world of possibilities. Make spoons, a goblet, a butter dish, and more. Add complexity for stunning forms, including a pitcher, juicer, teapot, and oil pourer. With compelling galleries, artist features, and guided questions for growth throughout, this is a book for potters ready to learn new skills and unlock their creativity.

Kiln Forming Glass captures the excitement of working with glass and explains the techniques involved in this stimulating sphere of glass making. It discusses numerous aspects of this exciting and absorbing method of working. This practical instruction is accompanied by striking visual images of kiln formed glass by established glass artists, as well as unique snapshots of some of their own making processes. Topics covered include: Technical aspects of glass - its physical characteristics, compatibility and annealing issues Materials and equipment - a look at the wide array of glass materials and tools available Detailed analysis of techniques - fusing, slumping, kiln casting and pate de verre Step-by-step guides to completing projects with practical information and firing guides An in-depth look at the lost wax technique for kiln casting glass Further and more advanced kiln forming methods to extend creativity and skills

Create your own magical artefacts with this official craft book of projects from the Harry Potter films! From your very own Hogwarts acceptance letter to a golden snitch and a pop-up Goblet of Fire, this official book of craft projects from the Harry Potter films covers a whole range of magical artefacts that fans know and love. With five levels of difficult rating, and detailed instructions and step-by-step photographs for each project, you will soon be able to create an elder wand, a crystal ball, a time-turner and more! Organised into chapters, the book covers the journey to Hogwarts, recognisable books and potions from the classroom, magical objects from sports clubs and competitions, and of course, the dangerous restricted section of the library! This it the perfect book for Harry Potter fans looking to immerse themselves in the Wizarding World.

Fully updated and revised, with new photographs and glaze recipes, this is the third edition of this classic guide to ash glazes. Forever curious and eager to learn new things about ceramics, Phil Rogers constantly tinkered with clay bodies, glaze formulae and approaches to firing. This volume is his seminal work on transforming ash into glaze: an essential text for all potters and ceramicists with additional relevance today with its focus on prioritising the use of natural resources. Ash Glazes examines the practicalities of collecting and testing wood ashes, demonstrates the process of making them into glazes and offers a step-by-step guide to using them to decorate your pots. This edition, updated and revised by Hajeong Lee Rogers, is a celebration of pottery at its best. Starting with an introduction to the history of ash glazes, then moving on to a wide range of practical advice and methods, the book is enlivened by photographs of the work of potters from around the world, who use ash in colourful and imaginative ways. It provides true inspiration for working potters and delight for all those interested in contemporary ceramics.