There have been many artists throughout the centuries who have chosen ceramics as their medium for artistic creation, and they have discovered many different ways to enhance their pieces. When ceramics were first discovered, they were often created with the local clay. As the ability to travel further became more common, traders would bring finer clays into many areas. Modern travel and trade have made it even easier to find just the right clays to create beautiful ceramic pieces.
Using Local Ingredients
Clay can be found in almost any area of the world, and the ability to shape and fire it has led to many cultures creating distinctive ceramics. Some of them have been turned into a fine art, and it is largely due to the availability of clays with finer grains than other areas. Using local ingredients made sense when travel was difficult, and artists generally did not know there were finer clays that could be used in their products. As people began to travel outside their own areas, artists were some of the people who discovered there were suddenly solutions to their problems when it came to producing their goods.
Discovering New Possibilities
As travel between groups became steadier, many new discoveries were shared across geographical boundaries. New ways to preserve foods, create hunting weapons, and manufacture tools were spread throughout large areas. The availability of items through trade helped people look at their lives in very different ways, and reproducing what they could buy became important to some people. Artists, intrigued by new products and processes were often part of trade groups. They wanted to learn how other artists created their goods, and they were willing to travel so they could study with others. Discovering new ways of creating necessities was part of their drive, and many of them wanted to learn as much as possible during their travels.
Modern Possibilities
The world of cyberspace has changed the physical reality of many people, and it has given them an even broader range of possibilities in many different areas. For artists, there is now more information on how to enhance their products. Many of them who have been dependent upon local clays to make ceramics have discovered they can make finer products by adding ground silica and silica flour to their kaolin clay. Just a few clicks online and Minerals Marketing can provide them with the products they need, and they can be delivered almost anywhere in the world.
Artists have always been part of the wave of exploration, and their drive to find new mediums for creation has been a big part of cultural exchange and trade throughout history. When travel was restricted to small areas, they were limited in the ingredients and processes they used, but the modern world has removed many of those limitations. Artists now have an entire world they can explore from their home or studio, and they can find the ingredients that will enhance their work with a little bit of time searching online. Creating beautiful ceramic pieces by combining local ingredients with additives from other places has become yet another way for them to enhance their products.
