The Pottery Market

The Pottery Market

The Ghanaian Ceramics Industry has for sometime now been enjoying a season of significant growth. With particular reference to pottery products, the venture is becoming a business that pays. The colour of the pot depends on the type of clay used although some of the pottery products may become black. And this may be as a result of the smoke that is created during firing.

A set of pot products for sale

 The market of a pottery product is gradually becoming crucial for national governments. This is also because pottery has the potential ability to increase the volume of foreign exchange obtained by the state and gaining grounds as a foreign exchange product.

 

Beatiful pieces

Pots even though is fragile, is very expensive and can be found in most market and can also be found along the road. As a result any number of pottery products provided it’s what you want can be bought from the car along the road.

These days, pottery products are seen all over Accra and its surroundings. With .the presence of the internet, a pot can also be bought or ordered on the internet. A lot of transactions go on these days and pottery is not an exception. Pottery is not expensive, so potters make a lot of it in order to make the money.

 

Pot products on the market

 Contemporary pottery comes with a lot of designs and colours-this has made contemporary potter  products worth buying and using. There are still a lot of places across the country that uses pots because of the advantage s say it ability keep water cool.

 

Masterpieces

 The pottery markets are seen across the country: Kejetia market, Mokola market, Takoradi markets circle and others are all market that sells pottery products.

The market is doing very well and it is actually good for the product. It will raise the image of the products and that is good.

THE ESSENCE OF POTTERY

In simple terms, pottery involves  forming a clay body  into certain objects of a required shape.It has undergone a significant manufacturing changes but it uses remains intact.

Pottery products have many uses.Different products come with different uses and advantages.

The pottery industry has come a long way since it came came into existence.The industry  has served as a source of employment and an income earning venture for a lot of people..In every jurisdiction,the pot industry has a percentage of citizens it employs .This has over the years cut down on the unemployment rate.

The second critical importance of pottery products is it decorative feature.Some modern pottery products have been given certain looks and appearance such that it has become  decorative pieces.These   days ,such products are placed on tables and walls for the purpose of decoration.

Again, pottery products may also serve as storage products.Years before modern times, water and other essential commodities are stored in pot. Pot keeps water  such that it becomes chilly and sweet for drinking.In modern times,there are so many storage products that has actually  replaced the pot industry.

Finally, pottery products are also made  in cups and bowls.This means that there are certain pottery products that can be used for drinking and eating.

These importance has carried the  venture even till now.Not downplaying the fact that there are other major importance.We therefore need to take a second close and better look at the business.

POT MANUFACTURING PROCESS

The manufacturing of pottery in Ghana is a very fascinating process. The process has been advancing from time to time. The manufacturing of pottery over the years have been getting smoother and smoother; advancing.

The production of pottery obviously starts from a stage and ends at a stage. In reality, pottery according to the centerfor National Culture, Accra, the pottery department, pottery making starts with putting refined clay into a washing bin and adding water. This washing bin is divided into two. The first one takes the clay (with water added) and left for at least three (3) to five (5) days.

     A typical pottery making process

From here, the watered clay is carried into the second part of the washing bin via a mesh which holds particles from entering into the second part of the mesh. It is also left there for another three to five days in order that the clay may be separated from the water.

After this period, the water is combed out of the clay obviously after the clay has settled under the water to dry on the sun. It is sent to the pot mill. The pot mill process the clay so that we can get a clay bar. After sometime, it is sent into the table for kneading. In the course of the kneading, the clay is wedged with a wedging wire. Wedging involves cutting the clay with a wedging wire in order to get rid of hard particles and air bubble. 

Kneading involves holding and mixing as well as controlling the clay.

Kneading prepares the clay unto the potter’s wheel. It is on the potter wheel that the molding actually takes place. At the potter’s wheel, two people are needed; the potter and a person to wheel. The potter uses the thumb to create a hollow space in the clay. 

It is based on this hole and around it that he makes pots. How fast the potter moulds is how fast the wheel is wheeled. The potter works on the disk of the potter wheel. The shape is created and the potter keeps molding until he gets the shape. The shape is called grain ware. The grain ware is baled to remove water.