The Color of Clay

Clay can be dirt in the wrong hands, but clay can be art in the right hands.

I work in clay when the mood arises. In its simplest form, clay is mineral earth, devoid of organic matter.

For millennia humans have dug their own to make vessels and pieces of art. The clay most artists use in modern times comes from factories. Different formulations of minerals will mature at different temperatures and will have different properties that are specific to wheel or sculptural pieces. The hotter the temperature the clay fires to, the stronger the finished product. I generally work in a midfire range clay that matures at approximately 2200 degrees F.

Within that temperature range there is a variety of colors to choose from that range from white, tan, rust, and brown. The color of the clay is from pigments or minerals that have been added. For example, iron oxide gives terra cotta its deep rust color and burnt umber makes clay a toasty brown.

I like to experiment with different colors of clay. Since I work with sculptural rather than functional pieces (such as mug and bowls), I use glaze more as an embellishment, preferring to showcase the color of the clay body I’m working with.

When you purchase clay, the fired product will be a different color than the wet clay in the bag. Often white clay will appear gray in its wet form. Dark clays will lighten or darken depending.

The firing process used to be literally done with a wood fire and in some places still is. I use an electric kiln to fire my pieces. When the kiln gets up to temperature the individual particles of clay will vitrify, or fuse, creating a permanent, waterproof object.

The clay will perform the same, no matter how it’s colored- it’s how it’s molded that creates differences in strength. It’s only by fire that clay unites as one.

Clay has so much to teach humanity.