Traditional Pottery : Methods Of Overcoming The Challenges For Traditional Ceramics Industries

Ceramic making is still a popular tradition today in the Americas, especially on Native Indian Reservations, like in Western, North Carolina. The use of ceramics, however, is quite different than the way it was used by the natives during the Middle Woodland Period. Today, pottery is mainly made for decoration or art purposes by modern day Americans, but according to Wallis (2011), about 3,000 years ago the use of pottery became a very common use and practiced tradition among the native people who lived during that time period. The Swift Creek culture and the Cherokee Indians had very similar methods in formulating ceramics. The archaeological findings of these artifacts states that one group had been more advanced designs on their vessels. This reason is most likely because of the materials that one group was able to access in their area that the other group did not have available. One group was also more traditional and spiritual in making their vessels, which caused them to create more complex designs and methods while designing their ceramics (Block 2005). By looking at the similarities of both groups pottery styles, archaeologists were able to determine the minor but very distinctive differences, that one group processed in their art, than the other. By comparing each group’s ceramics by looking at

From a contemporary perspective, current ceramic artists might challenge that Leach’s domestic wares were categorized as craft, and this is an age-old debate that has gained momentum since the 1980’s when ceramicists began producing work which “questioned the categories and boundaries of art and craft and claimed ground for the sculptural and conceptual in ceramics ……… declaring(ing) the right to continue a tradition of contemplative and emphatically non-utilitarian ceramic forms”.

As more and more companies are coming up with a theme in producing more replicas, the supply might exceed the demand and may lead to a price war. Instead, selling a single artifact that is original and unique makes Lancer Gallery achieve its gross margin with very less number of sales and also helps the brand image of the company. Lancer Gallery can now establish as one of the companies to produce original artifacts and also can educate people in distinguishing the original

The three main exports of Athens and most poleis were grapes, olives (and their subsequent products) and ceramics. Greek ceramics can be found in museums around the world and their abundance today tells us of an even greater abundance during the classical Greek period. The fact that this artistic and technically complex pottery was in great volume shows us that the Greeks at this time were a wealthy people. The methods used to create both the complex pottery and the images they bore also show us the expert prowess of the artisans at the time. This technical prowess is also shown through the varied forms of pottery and their specific functions. For example, both the kylix and lekythos are designed with functionality in mind. The kylix has a large open mouth in order to quickly aerate the wine that was drunk from it while the lekythos has a small chamber at the bottom to catch the sediment that is in olive oil. The thoughtful and detailed designs show the importance of these two major products of the Greek poleis in addition to displaying the skill of the potters. The images used to decorate the pottery, such as Dionysus appearing on the bottom of a kylix, can show us what the Greek people found important enough to make a part of their daily lives. Pottery

East Liverpool has been historically known as the pottery capital of the world due to the large number of potteries in the city. Sadly, due to changes in the industry, it is only home to The Hall China Company, the Homer Laughlin China Company and Pioneer Pottery. An example of East Liverpool pottery at it’s finest would be that of the Lotus Ware which was produced there during the 1890s. During the 1893

No other culture has had such an important influence on western art as that which flourished in Ancient Greece. (Herwig, 1988) Kate O’Halloran agrees that “a lot of what we know about everyday life in Ancient Greece comes from Greek Pottery”. (O’Halloran, 1988) Greek Pottery, particularly in terms of decoration, evolved over the centuries and was categorized into four broad groups; however these styles did not pass abruptly from one to another and in some cases ran side by side for decades. (Cartwright, 2013) These changes in pottery over time were impacted by the political , economic, social changes and cultural developments of ancient Greece.

One of the most memorable aesthetic experiences I had was at Archie Bray in Montana on May 2013. While visiting Montana had the opportunity to go to the Archie Bray Foundation. Artists like “Rudy Autio and Peter Voulkos who were the first resident managers of the Bray. The volume and quality of their work drew attention to the new program and attracted many talented and ambitious potters” (sic) (. Archie Bray foundation). These potters came together to create a standard in the ceramic world. Also, it is a place for residencies of other known and unknown ceramic artists to be able to take the time to make a body of work. While I was there looking at the artists and what they were working on, I came across a piece

Ceramic artist Daniel Kuhn is from the western area of Pennsylvania known as the Alleghany Valley. This industrial area has greatly influenced his work, which incorporates photographic imagery and layered slips on gestural clay forms. Kuhn’s purpose is to depict the landscape touched by industry. Another style Kuhn incorporates in his work has been the American style of Raku which brings together modern and ancient techniques by using the toxic glazes of Raku and porous sawdust-fired pots. When using sawdust as technique to cool the ware, a chemical reaction occurs this leaves the ware with exuberant hues.

The Maya is recognized for making an abundance amount of art but are maybe known the best for their pottery, which can include forms of jar, vase styles, plate, and bowl. In the Mesoamerican culture is where the Maya ceramics were produced this was in the preclassic period between 2000 BCE-.1500 CE. The rising of the Mayan empire was between 300 to 900 CE, the Mayan centers were in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. They used a kabal which is the tool that creates the ceramics; around the time of 1000 BC Guatemalans created the Amyan style. At first the earliest Mayan themes were focused on religious themes and kept it simple but then began to become more decorated in different colors, shapes, and sizes. Then between 300

The site of Caesarea Maritima contains many unique challenges for archaeological excavations. Ceramics play an important role in discovering factual information about a site. Nonetheless, Caesarea Maritima has a variety of specific challenges associated with it for archaeologists. Not only does it cover a significant section of the coastal region, but the immense harbour over time has been completely submerged in the sea. Along with geographical challenges, there are also historical ones. The site of Caesarea Maritima was inhabited from Hellenistic time until the Crusaders, a period spanning over 900 years. As it was continuously inhabited, throughout the archaeological layers are the remnants of many different cultures. With this in mind,

Majority of these types of vessels are found in graves, suggesting that the decorated ware is mostly used for funerary contexts, although there is also evidence to suggest that vessels included as grave goods were from everyday life. This seems likely as the introduction of the lug handles would elude to carrying. The Decorated pottery could have been a sign of prestige, the more elaborate the pot the higher status you held or were portrayed to hold in the afterlife. The shape and size, restricted neck of the vessel as well as the flat base could be suggestive of a storage jar but it is unlikely that a jug used in such a manor would be painted . Decorated pots were made at a limited number of workshops as they were a new type of ware for

The rich and colourful heritage of India displays a wide variety of Arts and Crafts with beautiful shapes and textures also with variety of embellishments. Agra, the city of magnificent ‘Taj Mahal’ has long been the centre of excellent handicrafts flourished under the patronage of Royal guidance. Craftsmen of Agra maintained that kingly legacy and continue to develop creative artefacts and attained worldwide recognition for their aesthetic and creative artistic skills. They are sincere and simple people still trying to produce products with same depth of quality and same virtue of designs as their forefathers used to do.

Personalization can be engraved into the pottery during the drying phase at the right stage during the production process. “Process layouts, also known as a functional layouts, group similar activities together in departments or work centers according to the process or function they perform” (Russell & Taylor, 2014). In the Total Quality Management (TQM) approach a principle number one, according to Russell & Taylor, is that “quality can and must be managed” (2014). With a primary and vested interest by the owner of Angel Pottery to ensure business success, quality of the product will be attended to at every stage in the process of the mug

Mr. Julian who owns and manages a small company called Bentley Customs Ceramics Julian over a last four year manufacturing different ceramics items wants to expand his business. Over a year, he had used electric kilns but having observed that was less cost effective, he is planning to use gas kilns.

Today, Sorzal Distributors count eleven major players in the artifacts industry that compete directly with them. This number of competitors –in addition to others- is a proof that the artifacts business is an attractive industry with low entry barriers (in terms of regulations and capital). In fact, the market of artifacts witnesses different players in terms of nature of their products, scope of business and channels of distribution. These can be importers/distributors, specialty dealers, department stores, amateurs and dealers who sell their products through internet. These competitors display fierce competitive moves ranging from dealing directly with Sorzal's suppliers to selling fake artifacts at exorbitant prices in different locations of the country. (R. Kerin, R. Peterson (2005). Strategic Marketing Problems cases and comments (10th Ed.) In such industry circumstances, Sorzal's initial market segmentation has been blurred. Initially, the company targeted buyers of authentic pieces of artifacts in the United States namely collectors, then responded to its small customers number of gift and decorative items buyers. After the entrance of all these competitors to the market, Sorzal should reconsider