Ceramics: An Art Form for All

 

Many people call themselves “unartistic “or “uncreative”, myself included. That was until I enrolled in a ceramics class my freshman year of high school. Ceramics is an art form for everyone. With ceramics, you have creative freedom to produce pieces that represent your style and you as an artist. In ceramics, there are so many areas to explore including different clay bodies, glazes, and texture tools.

 

  In ceramics, there are many ways to create pieces. You can throw on the wheel and create pieces ranging from plates, bowls, vases, etc. Another way to create pieces is to hand-build or sculpting. This method is much easier than throwing as throwing takes many hours practice. Hand building pieces allow you to create more detailed pieces. After firing, you then can explore glazes and how they look on different clay bodies. Chemistry is a big factor in ceramics. How glazes fire with different mixtures of clay bodies is an important factor for ceramicists when it comes to creating a desired look for the piece.

 

Ceramics is a very versatile art form that everyone should explore. You can create handmade, function pieces that reflect you and your personal style. Whether you are a minimalist or a maximalist, ceramics gives you an outlet to design pieces custom for you. It is an hands-on hobby that allows you to explore your creative freedom with no limits.