Thinking back to third and fourth grade art class where each of us got the chance to make our own small pottery project, I remember painting the glaze on my pencil holder thinking that it was rather ugly and wondering if it would ever get that shiny finish like my art teacher’s beautiful pieces scattered about the room. When I got back my pencil holder after firing, it was pretty and shiny! If I could learn any craft it would have to be pottery.
Pottery is both versatile and artistic. It serves a basic function for everyday use, but then the makers put a bit of themselves into each piece. When looking at early Native American pottery, the makers of the pots made everyday objects into pieces of art such as shaping a cup or smoking pipe like a person doing something. I love finding beauty in the mundane of daily life, and the feeling that the pots of the Native Americans exude. Seeing a figure of someone from thousands of years ago doing something such as brushing her hair is almost humorous because I do that every morning. When I think of the Native Americans daily activities, my mind does not automatically jump to my daily routine.
Also pottery is one of the few things that survive over time due to its durability and strength; it has a substantial physical presence. Also it is very tactile, and there is nothing better than the feel of clay between one’s fingers. I never had the opportunity to really take an actual pottery class, but it is something that I would like to do before I finish college. It is mesmerizing to watch a potter working at her pottery wheel as the pot begins to take shape from just a mere lump of clay!
I'll never forget the "Chemistry of Pottery" class I took in high school. It was billed as a science course, so we learned what all was in the clay, the properties of glazes, etc. But we also got to do some really awesome art. My teacher once told me that he chose pottery as his medium because "it had just the right give and just the right amount of fight, like his hands were dancing with the clay."
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