The White Falcon - 12.02.1993, Page 4

The art of pottery — it’s all in the hands
Story by DM2 Danielle J. Kim
If you enter one of the many gift shops in
and around Iceland you will find ‘hand-
thrown’ lava pottery unique to Iceland.
The term ‘hand-thrown’ refers to the proc-
ess of creating a finished piece of pottery
from a shapeless lump of clay or earthen-
ware. The art of‘hand-throwing’pottery is
the same in Iceland as it is in the United S tates
except for a few minor differences.
A potter uses few tools to practice his craft.
With a potter’s wheel, some clay, water,
sponges, flat-edged tools and a mirror, the
skilled potter can create vases, trays, plates,
pots and variety of other objects so familiar to
many of us. The potter’s most important
tools however, are his hands, strong and
stead. They guide and manipulate shapeless
lumps into works of art.
The art of ‘hand-throwing’ pottery starts
with a lump of clay placed on the circular dish
of a plotter’s wheel. A foot pedal is depressed,
and the rotating motion of the dish is acceler-
ated, much like the gas pedal of a car. With
a wet sponge and a firm, steady hand, the clay
is guided into an initial cylindrical shape.
Next, a final form is determined by the whims
of the artisan’s tastes and the publics’ desires.
Once the shape has been molded to the satis-
faction of the artisan, it is removed from the
potter’s wheel with a slender piece of wire
that is run under the clay form. It is this semi-
moist form that is set aside to air dry for three
to four days, depending upon the humidity.
Icelandic pottery differs from other types
of pottery in that it is encrusted with small
chunks of lava rock, which is crushed, then
mixed with slip (a creamy clay mixture) to
form a semi-dense coating. This coating is
painted and/or dipped with glazes, for its
final ‘firing.’ It is during this final ‘firingjj
that the rich, deep colors appear and thfl
smooth, shiny surface with which we are
Firm hands gently mold the pliable clay into the recognizable finalforms we’re familiar with
(Photo by JOC Terry Bamthouse)
Bisque is sprayed with different ceramic glazes before its final firing’.
(Photo by JOC Terry Bamthouse)
gently pressed onto the surface of the clay
forms, which have dried for at least 24 hours.
It is this unique form that is left to finish
drying.
When the clay fomy are dry, they are
ready for their first ‘firing. ’ ‘Firing’ refers to
the process of hard-
ening clay under ex-
tremely high tem-
peratures in a spe-
cial ceramic oven
called a kiln. The
clay or earthenware
is ‘fired’ in a kiln
from three to four
hours at tempera-
tures in excess of
700 to 900 degrees
Celsius. After this
initial ‘firing’, the
kiln is left to cool
down, usually 24
hours. This un-
glazed earthenware
is now referred to as
bisque.
The cooled bisque
is then sprayed,
familiar come about. Finally, the rough edges
are smoothed out and the product is ready to
be shipped out to the many outlet stores in
Iceland.
Rows of unglazed earthenware air dries c
shelves until it’s ready for initial firing
(Photo by DM2 Danielle J. Kim)
4
The White Falcon