This book contains a representative selection of the work of some of the best ceramic artists in the world. The 25 featured artists explain, in their own words, the creative processes behind their work, what inspires them, the strategies they use to stay fresh and creative, what distinguishes their work from that of other ceramic artists and how they achieve this. Through examples of their most personal creations--objects capable of affecting us emotionally, surprising us and making us think--the artists reveal important details about their ceramic creations: how it was made, how it was shaped, which glaze and engobe coating they used to give the clay color and texture, the firing temperature of the kiln and the type of kiln chosen. The reader is provided with an illuminating glimpse into each artist's unique creative world, where they point out the defining features of their work and reveal some of the secrets that characterize their artistic processes. Paragons of exploration, risk and versatility, the extraordinary artists highlighted in this book rediscover thousand-year-old traditions, reinvent perspectives, transcend boundaries, tell stories and rebel from conventional expectations, creating in the process an exhilarating space where art, clay, water, air and fire meet and, ultimately, inspire.

CERAMISTS INCLUDED. ARGELIA: Nathalie Doyen (Belgium). BELGIUM: Ann VanHoey. CHINA: Wan Liya. FRANCE: Monsieur Cailloux. GERMANY: Monika Debus. INDIA: Madhvi Subrahmanian. IRLAND: Nuala O'Donovan. ITALY: Paola Paronetto. JAPAN: Shozo Michikawa, Kaori Kurihara (now France), Yuko Nishikawa (now USA). MEXICO: Gustavo Pérez. NETHERLANDS: Cecil Kemperink. NIGERIA: Ngozi Omeje Ezema. POLAND: Monika Patuszynska. SPAIN: Ícaro Maiterena, Xabier Montsalvaje, María Oriza, Myriam Jiménez Huertas, Ana Felipe, Roger Coll. UK: Alice Walton, Nicholas Lees. USA: Lauren Nauman, Godeleine de Rosamel.