WHY EARTHENWARE?

Today as Stephen was floating through the office, as he sometimes does (not often as he hates computers), I asked him a question which I have sometimes wondered about.

“Why Earthenware? Why did you choose, and continue to make earthenware?”

Without hesitation he replied, “Because I like it.”

“Yes, but why do you like it?”

“It would be easy to say ‘Because my daddy made it’ but that’s only part of the story.”, he said.

“The real reason I like earthenware is because of its softness. It lends itself very well to the sorts of gentle shapes that I like to do. What I enjoy most about being a potter is shape, and subtlety.

“The truth is that earthenware is the tradition of most of the world, from Greece to Mexico, and apart from China, Japan, Korea where stoneware and porcelain were made for many thousands of years, and in Europe a few German beer steins, earthenware was the staple pottery. Before technology, the only way to tell the temperature inside a kiln was to look through a little peep-hole to check the colour of the flames (which I learned to do in Japan – it’s surprising how quickly one can become accurate at this). These early kilns were very crude clay boxes. Often in the East the potter would make a large wickerwork archway and weave a basket, over which he would pat clay. Then when it was dry he would light a fire inside, burning away the basket and hey presto! A simple kiln.

“The Africans on the other hand often piled the pots in a circular dome, threw leaves and sticks on top and just lit the fire. All of this was possible because the temperature at which we fire earthenware is very low and so it lent itself to simple, primitive methods. I don’t know but I suppose the reason that the Chinese were able to get into stoneware and porcelain which goes up to more than 1300C/2300F (as opposed to early earthenware at 900C/1600F) is because they were way ahead of us in getting their heads around things like gunpowder, writing their names and all sorts of other things.

“Back in the 1960s in England most potters turned from earthenware to stoneware because it was meant to be stronger – and in a sense this may be true, however we are lucky to have our own field of local earthenware clay which just happens to be as chip-resistant as earthenware can get. And so, I have been lucky enough to do what I really love doing without getting into trouble.”

That’s what the maker has to say, now over to you… We are equally interested to know why you all like earthenware.

Terracotta Warrior: How I started my Classic range…

As every man who has a father knows working together in your late teens brings out a certain rivalry and resentment. So having been to Japan to finish my pottery studies and then having spent a year in the rock and roll business in London in the 60s, when I returned to work at Shanagarry Pottery with my father I began to feel trapped and frustrated. It had nothing to do with my father but I was at that stage of development when a young man needs to get out and plough his furrow. At first I was considering creating a completely different sort of pottery with different clay and different colour glazes. However I realised that I was very much in love with our earthenware clay having gone to the field with my father as a young boy to dig it on the banks of the River Blackwater. There was the memory of the camaraderie of digging with picks and shovels, the preparing of the clay by hand at home, the unique smell and sloppy texture – and finally the satisfaction of making pottery with it. So I decided that I would stick with the earthenware clay from Youghal.

Early days, early pots. The shapes have evolved ever so slightly over the years – sometimes for simplicity, sometimes as I learnt what customers really want and sometimes to keep up with the modern world: dishwashers for example.

Then the next two choices. Firstly while in Japan making pots that were not glazed on the exterior I became very fond of holding pottery that was slightly rough on the outside. In addition, as a young designer with simplicity as my number one priority it seemed obvious to me that I needed to continue using my father’s white glaze on the inside of my work. So put all of that together and you have the essence of my Classic range. What I find most extraordinary is that a few simple changes like I made really change the feel of my father’s and my pottery completely. And yet they are of the same family.

Recently I have been noticing in life that small adjustments can have a major impact. Like getting up half an hour earlier in the morning, being slightly more attentive to your partner or simply not putting sugar in your coffee. Anyway, that was the beginning of the Terracotta and White range of pottery which I started in 1972.

Still going strong: Our bestsellers from the Classic Range in 2013

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Previously:
Read about how Stephen’s father Philip started the Shanagarry Range

Why Stephen called his book “Warrior Spirit”

The story of Shanagarry Pottery and Stephen’s own adventure, Stephen Pearce: Warrior Spirit, is now available with free shipping to Ireland, the UK and the US.

272 pages, over 200 colour photographs by the renowned photographer Kevin Dunne, 24x30cm (coffee table format) and almost 2kg!
Order your copy here for Christmas.