By: Arnold Howard
Ceramics is one of the world's oldest arts. I learned how special it is when I was 12 years old living in Tripoli, Libya on the Mediterranean coast.
Once during our three year stay in Tripoli, my family visited the ruins of Leptis Magna, an ancient Greek coastal city in the Libyan desert. It was a quiet, sunny afternoon when we strolled through the streets of Leptis Magna. We stepped over the ruts that chariots had worn into the cobblestones. We walked past stone pillars, which had collapsed and were scattered across the sand. Statues of Greek athletes and statesmen, once covered with sand, stared vacantly at us with their hollow eyes, just as they had long ago.
From a hill, I looked past the great field of ruined, silent buildings, to the dark blue Mediterranean in the distance. We walked through the ruins and made our way to the beach.
Scattered on the sandy beach were half inch square stone tiles and broken pieces of pottery. Bits of pottery jutted from the sand where the waves gently washed over them.
I recognized the stone tile squares from the beach near my house, about half a day's drive from Leptis Magna. I had collected a handful of the white tiles and black tiles that had washed up on the beach in the mornings. Here at Leptis Magna they were scattered about plentifully, a remnant of mosaic flooring from the Greek buildings.
Among the shards of cups and pots, I found a ceramic bowl about 3" in diameter and 2" high, made of reddish-brown clay. It was unglazed and, except for a few small chips on the rim and around the base, in perfect condition.
I picked it up. Impressed into the base was a human hand print. Inside the bowl were impressions of several finger prints. The fine lines showed clearly. That the delicate impression of a human hand remained after two thousand years astonished me. I visualized an ancient potter holding the bowl in his palm while the clay was still wet. Cupping the bowl in my hands brought history to life for me.
Over thirty years have passed since that visit to Leptis Magna. Thinking of it reminds me of how special, even magical, ceramics is. The heat of an ancient kiln had given that little bowl the strength to survive the centuries, buried in the desert. And centuries from now, ceramic pieces will be among the few relics of our civilization. Plastic, metal and wood will have disintegrated.
Ceramists of today continue a tradition thousands of years old. For me, this link with ancient artists makes ceramics special.
But ceramics is special in other ways, too. And thinking about it deepens our appreciation of ceramics.
Frances Darby, who founded Paragon Industries, Inc., points out that ceramics relieves emotional stress. "Ceramics has been a lifesaver to people with problems," she said. "If you have a tragically ill child and you can't do anything to help that child, ceramics will save your sanity. It relieves your mind of that constant worry. You can't work with your hands and worry at the same time." When the hands are busy and the attention is focused on ceramics, the mind is free to work at another level to solve problems.
Ceramics is special because it satisfies the need for companionship. "The ceramic shop took the place of the corner grocery story where people could get together and talk," Frances said. "If you've moved to a new area and you want to meet friends with a common interest, sign up for a ceramics class. You will meet nice people in ceramics wherever you go." Referring to the years she made kilns, from 1948 to 1983, she added, "I couldn't have met a greater group of people if I had done anything else, and it's wonderful to see them even now."
Ceramics is special because it fulfills the creative urge. When people are busy creating ceramics, they have a special energy around them. It is an energy that soothes the spirit and quiets the nerves. Here are several suggestions for finding that creative energy and enhancing the ceramics experience further:
Ceramics offers opportunities for experimenting. If you have a kiln, try new techniques or color combinations on pieces of warped or broken bisque. Fire the scrap pieces on a spare section of kiln shelf with a load of ware. The new ideas you discover will delight you.
An obstacle to finding the creative energy of ceramics is fear of failure. One way past this fear is to learn to derive joy in creating even pieces that do not turn out as hoped. The greatest reward in ceramics is not ribbons or praise. It is the act of creating the piece. Even a beginner can experience the joy of creating. When a piece turns out poorly, find something about it that you admire. This will help you return to your work and to make a better piece next time. Finding something good about a poor piece removes the fear of failure.
The spirit of ceramics is giving. As Frances Darby said, "People who make ceramics are the givers of the world. They are a unique group. They enjoy making things for the people they love." Increase the creative energy of ceramics by giving your knowledge of ceramics freely to others. In the process of sharing, the teacher often learns more than the student.
As a boy wandering through Greek ruins, I learned to appreciate ceramics. You can learn the same appreciation right in your local ceramic studio. More important than discovering rare pieces is to make ceramics yourself. The real joy of ceramics is in the process of creating.
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Arnold Howard works for Paragon Industries, LP in Mesquite, Texas USA. He writes Paragon kiln instruction manuals. Besides kilns his interests are philosophy and physical fitness. You can read Arnold's articles at www.paragonweb.com .
