Clay VocabularyClay Vocabulary

Ms. StanberryMs. Stanberry

Coiled Pottery One of the oldest ways

of forming pottery. Long strands of clay which are laid on top of each other and joined through blending coil to coil. Coil pieces can be almost any shape or size.

PinchPinch

To make a clay To make a clay form by form by beginning with a beginning with a ball of clay and ball of clay and inserting your inserting your thumb, continue thumb, continue to press out the to press out the form rotating the form rotating the clay.clay.

Slab BuiltClay slabs are cut

to shape and joined together using scoring and wet clay called slip. Slabs can be draped over or into forms, rolled around cylinders or built up into geometric forms.

ScoreScore

To mark on or To mark on or roughen an area of roughen an area of the clay you wish the clay you wish to join.to join.

Such as a place Such as a place where a handle is where a handle is added. added.

Wheel thrown

A piece of clay is placed on a potter's wheel head which spins. The clay is shaped by compression while it is in motion.

Free FormFree Form

The process of The process of pressing and pressing and pushing the clay pushing the clay form around form around until you obtain until you obtain the desired the desired shape. shape.

What Kind Of Clay What Kind Of Clay Are You Using In Class?Are You Using In Class?

Earthenware - A low-fire clay. Porous and not waterproof. To be functional, It must be glazed.

Slip

A fine, liquid form of clay applied to the surface of a vessel prior to firing.

Slip fills in pores and gives uniform color.

Glaze

A coating of material applied to ceramics before firing that forms a glass-like surface.

Glazes can be colored, opaque, translucent or matte.

Firing

Clay is hardened by heating it to a high temperature, fusing the clay particles. Primitive pottery is usually fired on the ground or in pits with whatever flammable material is available.

Kiln The furnace in which

ceramics are fired. Kilns can be electric, natural gas, wood, coal, fuel oil or propane. Materials used to heat the kiln can affect the work; wood ash can build up on the surfaces of a piece and form a glaze at high temperatures. Some potters introduce chemicals into the kiln to influence the effects of the firing.

Leather Hard

A damp condition of the clay when it is too firm to bend yet soft enough to be carved.

Bone dry stage

No visible moisture –

no dampness to

touch –

Clay is ready to be fired

Greenware

Unfired clay ready or nearly ready for firing.

Bisque

Clay that has been fired once, usually at a low temperature.

Pyrometric Cone Pyrometric Cone

The device used The device used for measuring for measuring the temp in the temp in the kiln.the kiln. Specific cones Specific cones melt at specific melt at specific temperatures. temperatures.

Clay History Clay History

Face JugsFace Jugs

from the View of Potter from the View of Potter Matt JonesMatt Jones

Ms. StanberryMs. Stanberry

Reference: Matt Jones PotteryReference: Matt Jones Potteryhttp://www.jonespottery.com/face-jugs/http://www.jonespottery.com/face-jugs/

The Look The Look

““I think people who are I think people who are collecting these face collecting these face jugs are collecting with jugs are collecting with a sense of humor or a sense of humor or some romantic notion some romantic notion of backwoods carolina of backwoods carolina "folky" charm.  Face "folky" charm.  Face jug makers then jug makers then respond and "play" to respond and "play" to these notions among these notions among their clientele, and their clientele, and soon outlandish faces soon outlandish faces become the norm.”become the norm.”

““Personally, I find that Personally, I find that I enjoy some of the I enjoy some of the whimsy in face jugs, whimsy in face jugs, but a little goes a but a little goes a long way.  I really long way.  I really like the brightly like the brightly colored swirl on colored swirl on Charlie Lisk'sCharlie Lisk's face face jug (previous slide) jug (previous slide) and the rather and the rather quaint notion of the quaint notion of the devil's features on devil's features on Javan Brown'sJavan Brown's face jug from ca. face jug from ca. 1930.” 1930.”

““The face jugs I like The face jugs I like best are those that best are those that are restrained.  The are restrained.  The jug should be well jug should be well turned and capable turned and capable of being a nice pot of being a nice pot without the face, without the face, and the face and the face should not be so should not be so whacky that we whacky that we forget that we are forget that we are looking at a piece looking at a piece of pottery.”of pottery.”

Burlon Craig Burlon Craig

““I think I think Steven Abee'sSteven Abee's face pots push this face pots push this right to the limit (see right to the limit (see the pitcher at right in the pitcher at right in the group shot) His the group shot) His gaping mouths with gaping mouths with fully articulated molars fully articulated molars and bulging eyes are and bulging eyes are meant to provoke a meant to provoke a response in the viewer. response in the viewer.  I find them a little  I find them a little unsettling, but I think unsettling, but I think his potting skill is so his potting skill is so sharp and the facial sharp and the facial features are so features are so consistent, that even consistent, that even these gruesome faces these gruesome faces work very well.”work very well.”

African Beginnings African Beginnings

““Most scholars agree Most scholars agree that the first face that the first face jugs were made in jugs were made in Edgefield, South Edgefield, South Carolina by African Carolina by African slaves who labored slaves who labored in the pottery in the pottery factories there.” factories there.”

““The exact purpose of the original face jugs is lost The exact purpose of the original face jugs is lost in time.  There are verbal accounts of slaves in time.  There are verbal accounts of slaves marking graves with face jugs, and although this marking graves with face jugs, and although this information is anecdotal, it does suggest a information is anecdotal, it does suggest a connection with deceased ancestors.”connection with deceased ancestors.”

Face Jug Evolution Face Jug Evolution ““In light of the In light of the

anthropomorphic anthropomorphic language we employ to language we employ to describe pottery (foot, describe pottery (foot, waist, belly, shoulder, waist, belly, shoulder, neck), a jug's form neck), a jug's form seems to be a perfect seems to be a perfect abstraction of a head. abstraction of a head.  So applying the face to  So applying the face to a jug can almost be a jug can almost be seen as the punchline in seen as the punchline in the discussion of pottery the discussion of pottery form and human form and human anatomy.” anatomy.”

““There is something There is something tedious about making tedious about making too many of them, yet too many of them, yet potters who find them potters who find them selling well would feel selling well would feel their absence financially. their absence financially.  Particularly in the  Particularly in the Catawba valley of North Catawba valley of North Carolina, customers Carolina, customers expect local potters to expect local potters to make face vessels, and make face vessels, and the potters can expect to the potters can expect to sell almost as many as sell almost as many as they can make.  What they can make.  What used to be "whimsies" used to be "whimsies" now drive the market now drive the market with face jugs in the lead with face jugs in the lead followed by roosters, ring followed by roosters, ring jugs and other curios.” jugs and other curios.”

Matt Jones

Zan Barns at Riverwood PotterySylva, NC