The Art of Selecting and Blending Clay
The creation of our pottery pieces starts from the process of choosing the type of clay that the artist would use for his artwork. "Look at this cross-section of clay. This side has more granules, while this side has fewer. Clay with fewer granules is easier to work with, but it's a bit weaker under high heat. So, to enhance its strength, I mix in some sand or other types of clay," Mutsumi-san explained, pointing to a chunk of clay in front of him.
The clay used in pottery isn't just dug up from the ground and used as-is. Through repeated kneading, the hardness of the clay is adjusted, and air is removed to create the ideal state for crafting.
“If there’s air trapped inside, the piece will crack during firing. So, I knead and knead the clay until all the air is gone. This process is usually repeated about 300 times,” he added.
This is just the preparation stage. Next comes the shaping of bowls and plates.