Visual Arts 02: Sculpting/Pottery

Visual Arts 2/3: Sculpting/Pottery

Table of Contents

1.  Defining sculpting & pottery as visual arts
2.  History of sculpting in the Caribbean
3.  Caribbean sculptures and sculptors

Visual Arts refers to art forms and works produced by drawing, painting, sculpting, design & crafts, photography, video, literature and theatre. These are classed as performing, conceptual, or textile arts.

Visual Arts navigation: 00 Extra-regional Impact| 01 Drawing & Painting| 02 Pottery & Sculpting| 03 Theatre 

Defining sculpting & pottery as an aspect of visual arts

Methods and Techniques

Pottery is clay that is modeled, dried, and fired, usually with a glaze or finish, into a vessel or decorative object. Clay is a natural product dug from the earth, which has decomposed from rock within the earth's crust for millions of years. Decomposition occurs when water erodes the rock, breaks it down, and deposits them.
It is important to note that a clay body is not the same thing as clay. Clay bodies are clay mixed with additives that give the clay different properties when worked and fired; thus pottery is not made from raw clay but a mixture of clay and other materials.

The clay body is a necessary component of pottery.
Clay must be mined and purified in an often laborious process, and certain tribes have ceremonial protocols to gathering clay. In the Caribbean traditionally pottery is made by pound dry clay into a powder and then remove impurities by hand, then running the dry powder through a screen, mixing it with a dry temper, and then mixing water to create a plastic paste. In preparing the clay, potters spend hours wedging it to remove air pockets and humidity that could easily cause it to explode during firing. The clay then needs to "cure" over time.

There two types of techniques which is used in the Caribbean to make pottery:

1. Pinch Pot- made by kneading the clay and pressing it into the shape of a bowl, cup, dish, or pot and 
2. Coil Pot- where the clay is made into long, round clips coiled and stacked to form other shapes; the coils can be smoothed when finished or left as is to give the pottery a wicker look.

History of sculpting/pottery in the Caribbean

Caribbean art refers to the visual (including painting, photography, and printmaking) as well as plastic arts (such as sculpture) originating from the islands of the Caribbean (for mainland-Caribbean see Caribbean South America).
Art in the Caribbean reflects thousands of years of habitation by the Arawak peoples of the Caribbean followed by waves of immigration, which included artists of European origins and subsequently by artists with heritage from countries all around the world (including countries in the African continent). The nature of Caribbean art reflects these diverse origins, as artists have taken their traditions and adapted these influences to reflect the reality of their lives in the Caribbean.

The governments of the Caribbean have at times played a central role in the development of Caribbean culture. However, some scholars and artists challenge this governmental role. Historically and in later times artists have combined British, French, Spanish, Dutch and African artistic traditions, at times embracing European styles and at other times working to promote nationalism by developing distinctly Caribbean styles. Caribbean art remains the combination of these various influences. (Cummins, A., Thompson, A., Whittle, N., Art in Barbados, Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers (1999).

Caribbean Sculptures and Sculptors

Making Pottery in the Dominican Republic.

Video Source: JetSet Extra

Case Study: The New Castle Pottery, Nevis

In Nevis, clay is still worked into pottery as in centuries prior. Indestructible shards of pottery provide clues to cultures as far back as 6,000 BC. Even today pottery continues to be used for cooking, serving, transporting, and storage.

The Newcastle Pottery Co-op, located opposite the Nisbet Plantation, is a source for local artisans working together to continue indigenous traditions.  From 1675 ‘ 1730, Nevis was a hub for importing enslaved West Africans as they passed to other islands. Slaves brought the art of low fired pottery from Africa and the techniques have changed little today.

In the coolness of the studio, potters Armenia and Lorna are perched on stools, working their individual pieces carefully by hand, sprinkling water on the clay to keep it pliable. Sleek cooking pots are constructed by coiling rolls of clay, creating the basic pot shapes, before the finished form is hand smoothed and molded.  

Local clay containing traces of volcanic sand is ‘mined’ nearby and stored outside the back door until dug up for use. This red clay is then divided into large cement ‘trays’ and water is slowly added to make the elements pliable.

When the pottery is finished, it is spread in the back yard to dry in the sun. Then pots are piled into a heap and covered with dry wood and coconut husks, which are set fire.  From this smoking mound come finished artifacts.

With the beauty of fire marks in the red finish, this ancient African art form survives today at Newcastle Pottery. Throughout Nevis you will encounter samples of Newcastle Pottery in the form of wall sconces, ashtrays, votive candleholders, cook pots and vessels. 

The NewCastle Pottery in Nevis has been in existence for over 35 years. They have been providing the world with the finest pottery made from local clay.

Clay being burnt to create clay vase done locally here in Nevis

Pottery work being done locally here on the island of Nevis. 

Pottery work has got many attend from various group such as American Travelers who visits the Newcastle Pottery

Some of the locally made pottery founded at the Newcastle pottery.

Pottery work can be found throughout the whole Caribbean below is some clay mugs made in Highland Pottery Barbados.

Truth is, no matter where your travels may take you in the Caribbean, Central or South America, you’ll find that art and creativity continue to thrive vibrantly, as native, European and African influences blend together to break down the cultural walls that divide us as human beings. Art has grown and evolved significantly over the past 4000 years, and it is only through looking back and understanding the medium’s past that we can fully appreciate how far it has come.  –by Bret Love, Photos by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett.

Section by Theo Kelly