Lives and works of two indigenous and four studio potters in Ghana

Pottery is one of man’s oldest art forms and it has helped in the improvement of the needs of the society greatly. Today products of pottery/ceramics continue to be very useful in our everyday life as we constantly rely on them for some of our houses are built and roofed with baked clay, while others are lined and paved with pottery tiles. The kitchen sink and crockery and the bathroom basins are daily reminders of what we own to the ceramics industry. Our comfort and health depends on drain and sewage pipes, electrical insulators and chemical storage jars, crucibles and filters. Ceramics include such everyday materials as construction materials (brick, cement, glass, and porcelain materials used in electronics) Scientifically, Uranium oxide ceramics serve as fuel elements for nuclear reactors. Cutting tools are made from silicon nitride. Refractories made from carbides are used to make parts for aircraft engines. Alumina is used in making certain types of lasers (instruments that produce intense light beams), while porcelain is used to make artificial teeth and bone joints. Religiously, pottery products are also used to satisfy man’s needs as some of the products are used as objects of worship and as a representation of the gods themselves. Others trust and put their faith in the objects so created by the potter, however most, if not all the potters, are not known nor recognized no matter the area of their specialty and how important their products are. it is therefore important to study about some of them in order to build a legacy of remembrance and encouragement for up and coming potters so as to attract more of such people to do more for the society and themselves. The Researcher identified two indigenous and four studio Ghanaian potters and described the life and works of each of them. Three works each of the potters were appreciated. It was discovered that in Ghana indigenous potters are mostly women and they are tied to taboos as well as traditional methods and techniques of production while the studio potters use both local and foreign materials, techniques and local ideas to produce their wares. It was also discovered that some of the potters are putting in more effort to send Ghanaian pottery to a new level which sends a good signal of hope for development; this tells us that with little motivation potters can creatively solve most of our societal needs as others through pottery and ceramics are doing for their nations. It was proving that the societies of the potters as well as their emotions, beliefs and environments in general have great influence on their works. Pictures of the potters and samples of their works appreciated are available for reader’s observation. Again it was observed that the selected ceramists have travelled extensively to various parts of Ghana and other countries. There is evidence that family issues have either made or unmade the potters in various spheres of their lives as most of them married more than one. To achieve the desired objectives, the researcher has used the descriptive and analytical research methods for this thesis. The major research instruments used to collect the necessary data were questionnaire interview and observation. The research ends with summary of findings from the lives and works of the potters as well as conclusions and recommendations made to help improve pottery practice and the lives of Ghanaian potters in order to develop the skill of pottery further.

Source: KNUST