bluedango Bulletin

It is believed that the earliest pottery wares were hand-built and fired in bonfires. Over the course of time, potters have continued to work with their hands, using similar techniques to those of the past. Today there are more elaborate designs and techniques than 500 years ago, but in many global villages pottery is still made by hand.  With the diversity of techniques available and each individual potter’s style, there is a wide variety of handmade pottery available for functional or decorative use.

A Village of Potters - San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua

Nestled between the volcanoes of Masaya and Mombacho lies a village of potters, in the high mountain slopes of Nicaragua, where pottery is made by hand and fired in rustic brick kilns. After an individual piece dries for several days, each artist decorates the piece, using individual style and a variety of techniques.

The pieces are fired at low temperatures in brick kilns, and the potters use lead-free mineral oxides such as cobalt, iron and chrome to color the vases. Some artists use a relief panel, cutting out the design and creating texture in the background, to accentuate the pattern.  Some artisans favor traditional pre-Columbian patterns, while others prefer the technical challenges presented by more contemporary designs.

Chulucanas, Peru - A Distinguishing Technique of Making Pottery

Potters in Chulucanas, Peru discovered an unusual technique of making pottery, after studying ancient vessels found in native burial sites.  In an attempt to replicate the effect, potters began experimenting with smoke resist techniques.  Through their experimentation, the potters derived a smoking technique that involves stopping the flow of oxygen to the oven.  Stopping the flow of oxygen results in a ‘negative’ effect, similar to that of photographic processes that create negative images, where light areas appear dark and vice versa.  As a result, black and white patterns are very prevalent in Chulucanas pottery designs.  However, it is also common to find Chulucanas pottery that is hand painted with more vivid colors, maintaining the element of contrast with the darker hues created in the smoking process.

Handmade Pottery - Decorative Uses

With the variety of designs available, decorative handmade pottery can make attractive home accent vases for display with dried botanicals, or as individual pieces of unique ceramic sculpture. For decorative use, you can easily create unique centerpieces by grouping two or more pots or vases together on a display tray.  Consider surrounding the pottery with a shallow layer of varietal beans or small pebbles to add elements of interest to your centerpiece.  Of course, you can always display small accent vases in smaller spaces and nooks, such as window sills, bedside tables, or in between books on your library shelf for decoration.

Visit bluedango.com to find decorative handmade pottery from global villages and other ethnic home accents designed by international artisans and produced according to fair trade standards.