Pottery and ceramics have been an important part of human culture for thousands of years. From prehistoric storage jars to tiles on the space shuttles, pottery and ceramics have played a key role in innumerable human endeavors. But how do we define them? All clay is a ceramic material, but there are other ceramic materials, as well. Glazes are also ceramic materials because they permanently change during firing. Industrial ceramics include a range of materials such as silica carbide and zirconium oxide. In industrialized countries, modern pottery can be classified in two ways. There is commercial pottery or ceramics which are produced in factories, and there is studio pottery which is produced by individual craftsmen. You may also hear of “art pottery,” which may be either produced commercially or by an individual craftsman. Other studio potters are more concerned with creating forms for their uniqueness and beauty. These “art” pieces might still retain full functionality, or they may move toward being more sculptural. Many of these are “one-off” pieces, meaning they are one-of-a-kind.
Potter: a general term for an individual craftsman working in clayProduction potter: these folk make large numbers of functional pots as their main employmentStudio potters: often those who create one-off pieces but may also do production potteryCeramic artists: those who create clay artworkClay artist: same as a ceramic artist, but may not fire their pieces (i.e. they are working as a designer for commercial pottery)Ceramist: anyone who works with ceramic materials either industrially or as an individualCeramic engineer: those who work (often in the industry) with the chemistry and physics of ceramic materials
