Digging the Clay

Refining the Clay Removes the impurities, roots, small pebbles, leaves, other organic matter from the clay.

Wedging the Clay Wedging removes the air pockets from the clay and gives it all the same consistency.

Forming the Clay Throwing or turning on the Wheel (always symmetrical) Hand building (can be symmetrical or asymmetrical)

Throwing or Turning A contemporary potter uses modern tools and techniques. Wheels are electric and are operated by a speed pedal on the floor. Traditional potters use old fashioned tools and techniques. Traditional wheels were known as kick wheels and were operated by kicking leg to make wheel go around. Hands are always kept wet by dipping them in a slip bucket so that clay glides through hands. Slip is a clay/ water mixture.

Throwing or Turning

Hand forming the Clay Pinch – Method using the thumb and fingers to hollow out the clay ball. Slab – Clay is rolled out flat, cut into shapes then panels are assembled to create a form. Coil – Clay is rolled out into long coils. Coils are then layered and blended to create a form.

Molding the Clay Drape Mold– Clay is draped over a pre- existing object and as clay drys, it takes the form of the object. Clay must be removed before drying completely because it shrinks as it drys and will crack and break if not allowed to shrink. Press Mold– Clay is pressed into a pre-formed object, as clay drys, it takes the form of the object and shrinks.

Slip Cast Molds

How does a Potter mark their Wares? Look on the bottom of the pots!

Greenware Clay must completely dry before it can be fired. Any moisture in the clay would evaporate too quickly and cause the pottery to explode. Pottery is at its most fragile state during this process and can easily be broken if not handled carefully.

Recycling the Clay As long as clay hasn’t been fired yet, it can still be broken back down and recycled even after drying out bone dry. Pug Mill

Firing the clay is the process of putting it in a big oven called a kiln and baking it at an extremely high temperature. Pottery must be slowly heated and slowly cooled down so this process usually takes a full day. Greenware is stacked on shelves and the potter keeps adding shelves until the kiln is full. Firing the Clay

Traditional potters use a wood burning kiln called a ground hog kiln.

Bisqueware Bisqueware is clay that has been fired once. After the first firing the clay is now ready to glazed. It is always wise to rinse your bisqueware off with water before glazing to remove any clay dust from the kiln.

Glazing your Pottery Glaze is a paint like substance that is made up of different minerals. Glazes can be applied by a paint brush or pottery can be dunked in large glaze containers.

2 nd Firing After glazing the pottery it is fired a second time. During this firing the minerals in the glazes melt and create a shiny, glass like coating over the pottery. This makes the pottery dinner ware safe. Different minerals when melted create different colors.

Traditional Glaze Types Lead Glaze – Predominantly used on North Carolina Earthenware clay from 1750’s to 1930’s. Made from lead ore. Created a clear glaze, however other mineral oxides were often added to give pottery brown tones. Alkaline Glaze – Creates a olive green color. Originating from the orient, this glaze was used on stonewares predominantly in Western North Carolina. Salt Glaze – A coating formed on the pots by throwing salt into the kiln during the highest temperature of the firing process. Salt vaporizes and creates a orange peel texture on the pottery.

After cooling the pottery is now ready to be sold. Some potter’s have shops where they sell their wares while others hold kiln openings a few times a year when customers are invited to the pottery’s home and purchase pottery right out of the potter’s yard.

Properties of Ceramics Earthenware (Low fire pottery) 1800 degrees, permeable, must be glazed if used for food or water. Stoneware (High fire pottery) degrees, increased porosity, no glaze required Porcelain 2600 degrees, purest clay, white clay body, no glaze required, usually enameled or painted

Raku Firing The process of Raku firing differs from other firing methods because the pots are removed from the kiln at their maximum temperature. Raku uses a different type of clay that can withstand rapid changes in temperature. Pots are heated to 1800 degrees F, the kiln is opened and each molten glazed pot is removed with a pair of tongs. The extremely hot pots are placed into containers of sawdust which produces thick black smoke. The carbon is wicked into the porous clay body, blackening the clay and accentuating the crackle pattern of the glaze.

Raku Many times Raku can be distinctly recognized by its metallic colors that cannot be created using traditional glazes.

NC Pottery Timeline First NC Potters were the Native Americans, producing pottery as early as 3000 BC. Pottery was mainly used for food preparation and cooking. Clay pots were pit fired. Pots were made in a conical shape for sitting in the fire pit and allowing the fire to be around the pot. Native Americans first NC potters.

Moravians The Moravians moved from Pennsylvania to North Carolina in 1754 and established the community of Bethabara around the area that is now Winston Salem. Gottfried Aust was the first Master Moravian Potter in North Carolina. The pottery created was very Utilitarian (artwork that serves a purpose) Jugs, bowls, pans, bottles, jars, pots, mugs and plates. Function was more important then decoration. The Moravian potters were very technically sound and only focused on making pottery.

Moravian Pottery Moravian potters would later use the decorative technique of slip trailing to create intricate designs on their pottery. Many of the symbols included carried religious importance to the Moravians that believed that all of their works should created in honor of God.

Folk Potters Folk potters were independent rural farmers, who made pottery when they had time away from their crops. Their techniques weren’t as polished and all of their wares were made for Utilitarian purposes. Jars, jugs, milk churns, pitchers, baking dishes and chamber pots. Pottery was mainly used for food and liquid storage.

Face Jugs Face jugs have several claims of origin. Some of the earliest face jugs were from the Edgefield, South Carolina area made by African slave potters who incorporated African ritual characteristics from the Congo minkisi figures.

Face Jugs Folklorist later claim hat face jugs were created in the mountains of North Carolina to be used for Moonshine storage. Young children were told to stay away from the jugs with ugly faces on them because they contained bad stuff.

Modern Day Face Jugs

North Georgia Potter Kevin “Turkey” Merck

The Industrial Revolution in the early 1800’s brought the invention of refrigeration and canned foods and marked a decline for the need for Utilitarian pottery. Pottery saw a resurgence during the late 1800’s in the art pottery movement. Pottery was now being collected as art instead of for utilitarian purposes.

Considered North Carolina’s last true Folk Potter

Experience in pottery was usually gained from it being handed down from one family member to another. Here Ben Owen shows a very young Ben Owen III tricks of the trade. Now grown, Ben Owen III is considered one of the most accomplished potter’s in Seagrove. Now a person can go to school or college to learn how to become a potter

Pottery Regions of North Carolina

Seagrove, NC considered Pottery Capital Town features over 100 pottery shops with a wide range of forms, styles and glaze techniques.

Sanford Pottery Festival is now the largest pottery festival in North Carolina