Throughout the ages, even before history began, clay has been used as a medium for expression. It has been used to tell stories or emphasis them. Clay has been used to supplicate gods and kings. It has been used to express social as well as religious ideals.
But for many, the idea of pottery and clay was simply the utilitarian vessels made for cooking and to store water, foodstuffs, and other items. Even the most beautiful tiles created to pave floors and walls were seen less as creative expressions, but rather were viewed as fine examples of craftsmanship.
Beginning in the late 19th century, the Arts and Crafts movement changed the concept of pottery and ceramics. What had been often seen as purely utilitarian became infused with an understanding of and focus on the interaction between the potter and the clay. During the 1950’s, ceramic art took an even further digression from the utilitarian, as studio potters reacted to and explored the ideas presented by artists working in the abstract expressionism movement.
As potters today, we have the understanding that clay can be either art, or craft, or (ultimately) the marriage of both. Artistic merit and technical expertise meld in the current world of studio pottery. Many production potters (those who make hundreds and thousands of matching dishes for utilitarian usage) are also engaged in making one-of-a-kind pieces that are primarily artistic expression.
Working with clay at all is to enter a magical world of possibility.
One of the most wondrous things about working with clay is its vast flexibility as a form of expression. You have everything available to you: two dimensional surfaces; three dimensional form; color, surface texture; and surface finish. You can become painter, sculptor, and craftsman all with the same medium.
Working with clay to express yourself or to explore aesthetic concepts is to embrace that magic.
