ANATOMY OF A GOOD POT (COPPAGE)

When potter, author, and scientist, Ryan Coppage, PhD, was developing his skills and voice as a potter, he set out to determine what makes a pot successful. He approached the task like a scientist, cataloguing several hundred images of the best in contemporary pottery, and making notes of the strengths in each piece. He discovered the same aesthetic elements over and over. When considering openings, contour, elevation, visual cues, and balance in his own work, he saw marked improvement. He taught these elements to beginning students and saw improvement in their work as well.