Synopses & Reviews
The technique is simple; the results are gorgeous! Susan Halls has created an array of refined, sophisticated and incredibly modern-looking projects that are perfect for beginners, yet enticing for more seasoned ceramicists. The pieces range from a mug, vase, and jug to a bowl, teapot, and triple herb planter, and they start with a basic pinch pot before moving on to wider, taller, and more composite forms, all with stunning options for color and surface decoration. And, since many of the items can be made with easily found air-drying clay, no kiln's required!and#160;
Review
and#8220;Pottery in all its various shapes and colors is infinitely appealing, but the crafting can be daunting considering the materials and time needed. Potter and author Halls (Ceramic for Beginners: Animals and Figures, 2011) solves that dilemma through pinch pottery, when not wheels but hands (and occasional household implements) are used to create ceramic things of beauty. Traced to 3000 BCE, pinch pottery is accessible to all crafters, and the author makes it even more so through her instructional methods. First, she covers mastering essential shapes, such as spheres, wide bowls, spouts, and cylinders, followed by customizing elementsand#8212;lips, edges, feet, handles, lids, and knobs. Not only are there multiple forms to consider, she also explains the how-to's in simple language accompanied by close-up color photographsand#8212;whether it's to achieve a sgraffito or inlaid effect or to attach a braided or coiled handle. Bereft of decorating ideas? Halls teaches the art of surface treatmentsand#8212;color and glazeand#8212;through words and pictures and provides actual art patterns (straight line, foliage, and square motifs) to emulate. Once she explains the basics, the nine designs appear, each with the same attention to detail as pottery's ABC's: a hearty mug-tankard shows off bold stripes while a cozy monochromatic teapot is elegant in its simple lines. Galleries, sidebars, and appendixes (glaze and slip recipes, glossary, reference material, author bio) fill in any conceivable information gaps. Pinch perfect.and#8221; and#8212;Booklist (STARRED review)
Synopsis
The technique is simple; the results are gorgeous! Susan Halls's stunningly refined, sophisticated, and modern projects range from a mug and vase to a teapot and triple herb planter. Beginning with the basic pinch pot, they move on to wider, taller, and composite forms, all with stunning options for color and surface decoration.
About the Author
Susan Halls is the author of
Ceramics for Beginners: Animals and Figures (Lark). Her work has exhibited widely throughout the United Kingdom, the United States, and Europe, including: The Sackler Foundation, New York; the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Aberystwyth University, Wales; the Shigaraki Ceramic Center, Japan; and the Contemporary Art Society, London. She lives in Easthampton, MA.