Artists have used clay, a naturally occurring substance found in the earth, to create ceramic sculptures and wares for millennia. In its natural state, clay is composed of fine grained minerals blended with metals, water, and organic matter. Objects can be formed from clay by throwing on a wheel or hand-building. Pottery wheels are especially suited for making objects with radial symmetry; that is, formed around a center point. Hand-building encompasses any manipulation of the clay with tools and the artist’s hands, but without the use of a wheel. Slip, a mixture of clay and water, is used to bond two clay bodies together to form more complex pieces. Unfired clay objects are referred to as greenware. While still wet, greenware is malleable and the artist may continue to manipulate it. Once left to thoroughly air dry, reaching the “bone dry” stage, the objects become extremely fragile and prone to breakage. The object is bisque fired in a kiln to remove moisture and harden the clay. At this point, it can be covered in glaze and fired again, at a higher temperature, causing the glaze to melt and attach to the clay body.

Clay has long been used as the material for both functional and aesthetic art objects. Some contemporary artists have worked to erase the traditional designation of ceramics as “craft” rather than “art.” American artist Peter Voulkos, for example, became well known for his monumental abstract ceramic stacks, which are deeply expressive in form. English potter Mark Hewitt, who works in North Carolina, builds on the traditional pottery of the American South, among other ceramic traditions, with his enormous clay pots. Other contemporary artists who work with clay include Nicole Wermers, Richard Wilson, Eric Croes, Mark Delong, and Ulrika Strömbäck.