Pottery in Pondicherry and Auroville – Workshop, Buy online etc.

History of Pondicherry Pottery

Pondicherry is considered the “mecca” of ceramic pottery in India. Golden Bridge Pottery (GBP) studio in Pondicherry City is regarded as India’s first ceramic pottery studio.

Deborah Smith of Los Angeles, along with Ray Meeker in 1971, started Golden Bridge Pottery (GBP). Deborah graduated in Japanese Language and took a course in Pottery at Standford University in the US in the mid-1960s. She went to Japan to hone her pottery skills. Since Deborah was also a follower of spiritual Guru Sri Aurobind, she followed Mirra Alfassa (Mother) to India. 

Pondicherry has a history of making red clay pottery for thousands of years. Traditional red clay pottery firing is done by wood firing kilns. Still, the introduction of high-temperature firing, gas firing, and soda firing to the Pondicherry artists was given by the GBP.

Ceramic pottery shops popped up in Pondicherry and Auroville over the years after GBP, and they have spread out all over India now.

Pondicherry and Auroville Pottery products have unique quality over other state products. Apart from usual tableware, experimental abstract art ceramic products are mainly from Auroville Pottery Studios.

Where to buy Pottery in Pondicherry:

You can buy Pottery in Pondicherry or Auroville now.  Ping us on WhatsApp: +91-7604942994 to get the details.

Pottery classes in Pondicherry:

You can learn Pottery through classes and workshops in Pondicherry or Auroville. It involves the following process:

Stoneware Pottery Process:

Making pottery requires a lot of skills and experience to master it. It gives a relaxed mindset when you touch the clay and create something unique. 

Different methods or stages are there to develop a pottery with a handle.

Choosing the clay:

Stoneware clays have high heat tolerance and are versatile. It is best for beginners and more durable than other clays like Earthenware or Porcelain. 

Wedging: 

Wedging removes air from the clay by pushing and pulling the clay at the right consistency.

Throwing:

Throwing the clay at the potter’s wheel is the most challenging task for any beginner. Keeping the clay at the centre is the key; if you don’t keep it at the centre, the pot will not come in a symmetrical round shape. You can learn this technique through experience. 

Coiling:

Coiling in pottery is placing one coil over the other, depending on your design.

Making the Pottery:

Make the pot with a thickness of the clay around a quarter of an inch. This thickness will reduce the chances of cracking during the drying and firing.

Trimming and adding handles:

Trimming has to be done at the leather hard stage; you can add handles during this stage before it gets too hard. You can remove extra clay during this stage and add new designs.

Bisque Firing:

Bisque firing at 212 degrees Fahrenheit turns clay into a porous and sturdy form for the second firing stage. Raw clay works were allowed to dry for a few days before they were introduced for bisque firing.

Glazing Pottery and Firing:

After the bisque firing, clay becomes a ceramic material ready for glazing. You can glaze or underglaze a bisque pottery. So many methods are followed to apply glaze, like dipping, spraying, brushing and pouring.

Allow the glazed pottery to dry and keep it for firing in the kiln. Temperatures in the Kiln will be maintained from 1828 degrees Fahrenheit (998 C) to 2345 degrees Fahrenheit (1285 C). It can be a wood firing or Gas firing. After firing, your pottery will be hard and durable, ready to showcase to the world.

You can buy pottery with us. Ping us on WhatsApp: +91-7604942994 to get the details.