For thousands of years, pottery was mainly used to store food. Once people had leisure time, it began to be transformed into works of art. Many of these art objects were still useful for storing goods or displaying bouquets of flowers. Modern pottery for the home now has plenty of uses. Some people keep their cookies and snacks in pottery jars. Other people use pottery planters for the back patio. Every area of the home, inside and out, how has a place for pottery.
Pottery is relatively easy to create and decorate. An experienced potter can throw a round pot on a wheel in a few minutes. After that, drying, kiln firing and decoration are the next steps. If the finished product needs a glaze, that can be added as decoration or a coating over the decoration and the piece undergoes a second firing. Many pottery pieces are used after the first kiln firing and receive no further decoration if used outdoors.
Home pottery does not have to be plain and undecorated. Many pieces that have been cherished through generations in a family are vases. These pieces have been decorated in a variety of patterns and have a final glaze added for shine and strength. They have often been made and purchased to display attractive floral arrangements. Because of the many different colors available, pottery pieces can be found for any room of the home.
Modern pottery is both beautiful and useful. Even the cookie jar sitting on the kitchen counter can be a work of art. Pottery jars for staples such as flour, sugar and salt have graced many counters. Many of them are sold as matching sets in different styles. These creations are often gifts to couples getting their first home and are cherished for many years.
