visual-art:ceramicist

A ceramicist makes objects in clay and makes them permanent with fire. At the wheel or by hand, this person throws, pinches, coils, or builds slabs into a form, then glazes and fires it in a kiln, where heat turns soft clay into a finished bowl, vase, or sculpture. The work often begins with a commission and visual direction. Once formed, the piece moves on to firing, to a gallery, and to those who preserve it. This trade originates and shapes the clay object itself.