Pottery

Pottery is one of humanity's oldest crafts, where earth and water are shaped by hand and hardened by fire into vessels that hold both function and beauty. The process begins with clay dug from riverbeds or hillsides, then wedged and kneaded to achieve the right plasticity. Artisans shape their pieces using various techniques: throwing on a wheel, hand-building or pressing clay into traditional moulds. Some traditions emphasise painted decoration with ancestral symbols, such as Horezu or whimsical motifs as in Fayoum and vibrant glazes like those used by the Purepecha, while others focus on burnished surfaces polished to a deep sheen before firing. Natural materials provide colour—iron oxides for reds and browns, copper for greens and blues, manganese for blacks—applied as slips, glazes, or left in the clay itself, creating striking effects as in Jian Zhan teacups. Each piece is dried slowly to prevent cracking, then fired in kilns where temperatures ranging from 800 to over 1200 degrees transform soft clay into permanent ceramic. The result carries the maker's touch in every curve and surface—functional or decorative objects that connect us to earth, fire, and the timeless rhythm of craft practiced across cultures and centuries.