Ceramics and Glass in Art

Since ancient times, ceramics and glass have been associated with extraordinary artwork.
Approximately 30,000 years ago, clay-based statuettes were formed to represent animals and
religious figures, whereas later dated pottery was produced not only to hold liquids (e.g., water,
wine, and oil) and food, but also to illustrate stories and provide pictures of ancient life. Mosaics
made with colored pieces of glass and stones became widespread during classic Greek and
Roman times.

Over the centuries, the popularity of ceramics and glass in art has evolved and expanded into
various forms, and, under many aspects, ceramic and glass art has also become more functional.

Pottery is the most inexpensive and widespread type of ceramic art. It continues to be associated
with local cultures, representing patterns and shapes of significance to the people living in a
certain area, and often clearly identifying the region of origin. For example, Native American
vases are typically characterized by relatively simple geometric patterns rarely using more than
four colors. Sometimes, animals and flowers are pictured, but almost never human beings.

Italian pottery is well known for its vibrant colors and often the painted images suggest what it
should be used for: lemons and grapes for fruit-based dishes, the writing “Biscotti” for cookies,
and so on. The pottery comes in different shapes and sizes (e.g., salt and pepper shakers, oil and
vinegar dispensers, pitchers, coffee cups, trays, and candle holders), and can be functional or just
be used for decoration.

The Chinese are famous for their fine white porcelain adorned with blue detailed images of
intertwining flowers, plants, and dragons. Chinese porcelain is mostly used for vases that come
in all different sizes and shapes, as well as for dishes and bowls.

Artists have learned to use ceramics to create the most unusual objects. In addition to decorative
pots, vases and tableware, figurines and sculptures are also made. In fact, clay- and concrete-
based ceramics are quite easy to form into virtually any type of shape and they can be painted
with various techniques (e.g., flat enamels, glossy or matte finish, and milk paint) to achieve the
most outstanding effects. Lately, 3D printing has been introduced as an aid for artists to
experiment new forms and create prototypes in a short time. Alison Britton, Roxanne Swentzell,
Steven Young Lee, Kyungmin Park, Arlene Shechet, and Ron Nagle are just some of the
contemporary artists that have become well-known for their works of art based on ceramics.

Another form of ceramic art is tile mosaic. It consists of combining colored tiles to create
paintings. Tiles can be of different dimensions and shapes and they act as the pixels of the image.
Mosaic art can actually be two- or three dimensional, with the former being the most popular.

Glass also has an important place in art. Glass art includes three-dimensional shapes, stained
glass, glass mosaics, paintings on glass, and hanging glass.
Other applications of ceramics and glass in art include beads and small items found in jewelry
and to repair and preserve art objects in conservation science.