Reading List

I have found that books have been a valuable resource for me as a ceramic artist. I use them to provoke thought, challenge my ideas and as technical resources. Below is a collection of books that I have read and recommend to you. I am always looking for how to expand my reading list. Contact me with suggestions.

Oldies but Goodies

The Unknown Craftsman by Soetsu Yanagi
A Potter’s Book by Bernard Leach
A Potter’s Workbook by Clary Illian
The Nature and Art of Workmanship by David Pye

Craft Theory

Thinking Through Craft by Glen Adamson
The Invention of Craft by Glen Adamson
The Craft Reader by Glen Adamson
The Craftsman by Richard Sennet
Extra/Ordinary: Craft and Contemporary Art by Maria Elena Buszek

Art and Evolution

The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure and Human Evolution by Denis Duton
Homo Aestheticus: Where Art Comes From and Why by Ellen Dissanayake
What is Art For? by Ellen Dissanyake

Pots in History

10,000 Years of Pottery by Emmanuel Cooper
German Stoneware 1200-1900: Archaeology and Cultural History by David Gaimster
Hans Coper by Tony Birks
A Chosen Path: The Ceramic Art of Karen Karnes by Mark Shapiro

Technical Books

Clay and Glazes for the Potter by Daniel Rhodes
Functional Pottery by Robin Hopper
The Ceramic Spectrum by Robin Hopper
The Complete Guide to High Fire Glazing: Glazing and Firing at Cone 10 by John Britt
The Art of Firing by Nils Lou
The Kiln Book by Frederick L. Olsen
Cushings Handbook by Val Cushing
Glazes Cone 6: 1240C/2264F by Michael Bailey
Mastering Cone 6 Glazes: Improving fit, Durability and Aesthetics by John Hesselberth and Ron Roy
A Potter’s Book of Glaze Recipies by Emmanuel Cooper

My Que

Art and Intimacy: How the Arts Began by Ellen Dissanayake
Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of Beauty by Nancy Etcoff
The Art of Not Making: The New Artist/Artisan Relationship by Michael Petry
By Hand: The Use of Craft in Contemporary Art by Shu Hung
A Cabinetmaker’s Notebook by James Krenov
Makers: A History of American Studio Craft by Janet Koplos

Have I missed a good book? Contact me.

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