With 11 clay artists in the exhibit, there is considerable variety in the style, the purposes, and the techniques represented. Eight of the artists are classified as contemporary artists, and the other three as traditional artists. This distinction might seem confusing, as they are all obviously living, contemporary artists. For the purposes of this exhibit, we used the definition of traditional artists as defined by folklorists. Artists are considered traditional if they learned their craft from members of their family or their community through non-academic means. Traditional arts are passed from generation to generation, but there are changes along the way.

Each artist adds his or her own creative touch to the process. Often new technology changes the way work is done. But among traditional artists, there is a strong commitment to carry on the traditions of their mentors, to honor their heritage. Often traditional artists work in multi-generational family businesses, as is the case with Jerry Brown, the Hewells, and Vernon Owens. And quite often, traditional artists rely on resources they collect themselves from their environment. They dig and process the clay before forming it by hand.

Of course, there are contemporary potters – like Brian Nettles – who have the same close involvement with the processes of digging and processing their own clay. The difference is that Brian did not learn how to find and work clay from someone in his own family or community. Contemporary artists usually learn their craft through a combination of study, research, experimentation, and travel. They often study a particular tradition and incorporate elements of that traditional art form within their work, such as Fong Choo’s work with Yiching style miniature teapots or Ron Meyers’s Japanese-inspired tea bowls. Other potters explore new ideas of working with clay, such as Alice Ballard’s slip cast representations of plant forms and Bonnie Seeman’s elaborately sculpted bowls and teapots.

A simple and fun way to help your students understand the difference between traditional and contemporary arts is to ask them to think of skills they have acquired informally by watching and imitating family members. This is the way that most people learn how to fish, to bake, or to plant a garden. Some students might be fortunate enough to have learned how to quilt or play an instrument – or even to make pottery!

For a glossary of clay terms, go to http://www.dicksongallery.com/resources_glossary_of_terms.htm
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View on-line collections from a number of museums.