Hecho a mano, guía para ceramistas

by Melissa Weiss

Este libro va dirigido a ceramistas que trabajan a muchos niveles. Es un libro que rinde homenaje a la tradición pero también presenta nuevas formas de aproximarse a la arcilla. Si eres principiante, encontrarás en él la información básica que necesitas. Si eres un ceramista experimentado en busca de nuevas formas de trabajar a mano en profundidad, este libro también es para ti.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Crafts

160 pages, Hardcover

Published August 22, 2019

Reviews

[Lindsay]

A beautiful book about organic clay work. Things like ash glazes, kurinuki, slap building, wood firing are all discussed here. She has a beautiful earthy color palette which inspires me to experiment more with natural glazes. I must say I'm a bit surprised she didn't go deeper about the firing process... things like smoke firing and raku are not discussed, even though I believe it totally deserves a spot between chapters like digging your own clay and rough kitchenware.

There are also ''get to know the artist'' interviews included... just a short introduction in who they are and what they do. Interesting if you feel like exploring more work by other artists just for the sake of inspiration, as they don't really share secrets or recipes.

Melissa however shares a few short tutorials like kurinuki, making a mold, building a moon vase etc and also a few basic glaze recipes... however I would recommend for a beginner to follow some real life classes first, as mixing glazes and using a kiln can be rather dangerous. For someone who already has some experience with ceramics, they will find the book is easy to follow and try out.

[A]

As I read this book, I couldn't get past the white supremacy and appropriation chilling my bones. Each and every potter interviewed is a white american who speaks of all their travels and education in Africa and Asia, and from other appropriated cultures "influencing" their work. Every time I turned the page to see yet another white potter I was amazed, this author dodges PoC like the plague, and does not feature any other people beyond stealing their techniques and work. It is totally objectifying as if the people who hold this traditional cultural knowledge do not even exist on this earth. The decorative works of the author herself are also uncredited theft of African motifs.

This book was recommended to me for a ceramics course I'm taking and I'm honestly grateful for the shock it brought me to further investigate and educate myself on this sordid artistic field in the US to not approach it in a similarly entitled and supremacist fashion.

[tatiana]

This book was really helpful & filled in a lot of knowledge gaps. I also love & live for interviews and appreciated folks talking about their work in their own words.

However, almost if not all potters interviewed were white Americans. One went so far to detail her “inspiration” from indigenous and African (Zulu) pottery & basket weaving. There was definitely very recognizable appropriation and theft in her work.

All in all worth the read but I am excited to investigate regional methods authored and crafted by the communities that created those forms.

[Varina]

Such a great guide for beginners and pros alike! Very clear instructions for handbuilding projects accompanied by useful photographs. The book also has mini interviews with professional potters about a variety of topics. I really liked the vibe of the whole book and Melissa Weiss's work is gorgeous.

[Jess]

Clear instructions on hand building different items and in different styles such as kurinuki, coil and slab work. Mentions when to surform, how thick coils to use, etc. In between are interviews with other pottery hand builders.

[Aniisha AnnaMaria]

Excellent!

[Shiva]

A clear, inspiring guide to handbuilding pottery. Great for beginners and intermediate potters with beautiful photos, practical tips, and doable projects.

[Siah]

This is a coffee table book or rather a book that you put in your magazine basket in the restroom. No self respecting ceramics artist should read this book

[Margaret]

It was a good book, but it didn't have information that I looking for.