Gujarat is well known for its ancient history and long preserved cultural heritage. The age old craft of Gujarat has managed to sustainthepassage of time. Gujarat, because of its art and craft is a great tourist attraction not only intra-nationally but also internationally. The handicrafts of Gujarat are famous for its detailed and intricate artistic works. The artisans are usually common villagers who initially devised these masterpieces for their homes and later became a major industry. The art and craft industry of Gujarat offers a wide variety of products ranging from handmade durries (carpets), metalwork, furniture, clay items,embroidery, stone crafts and jewellery to many other materials.

The artistic capability of Gujarat is widely differing in the proportion of its patterns to other exclusive artefacts in various forms. The art and craft work of Gujarat stands out to be most authentic and appealing. The handicraft of Gujarat is famous not only for their beautifully presented patterns, but also for its charming blend of colours and intricate designs. These artistic works reflect the true culture and tradition of the state.

Cultural and Other Properties

Clay, the element of the earth and life take the most creative forms in the hands of the potters. Mankind is a creativity genius, and from the early periods clay is used to mould and cast earth into different shapes to suit their purpose. Mankind has shared a basic relationship with clay, found at the river banks.

The bequest of clay work or maatikaamkalakari in Gujarat is linked to the age old settlements unearthed in the state. Pottery art, one of the most appreciated craft work in Gujarat, is one of its kind. Potters spin their wheel to give beautiful shape to the clay, dry it and use it as utensils.  This intrinsic craft work is valued across all the communities of the state, Gujarat. Clay was initially used for making utensils for day to day use. Its use is further expanded and now is moulded, kneaded and sculpted for making appealing shapes and patterns for home decoration, building material, toys and figurines, and they are even gathered for its medicinal properties.

Terracotta

The artisans of Kutch are respected worldwide not only for their efficient skills in pottery but also in creating beautiful terracotta toys. Terracotta is a type of earthenware. It is clay based unglazed and glazed ceramic, where the fire body is porous. Terracotta with different patterns and design are sculpted for decoration of the house. Terracotta animal figurines are hand sculpted and offeredto gods as well as warriors and also toys are made of it for the toddlers.

Potters in the Chhota Udaipur and Aravallis tribal lands make nationally acclaimed lanky necked terracotta craftwork of the tribal horse God,Gora Devwho they believe protect livestock from demonsand disasters. Poshina is another place to bus decorative terracotta.

Clay Wall Paintings

Potter communities in Gujarat are experts inwall paintings, made on walls. The potters work effectively and efficiently in helping houses look beautiful. Mud work in Gujarat originated from the basic purpose of decorating the walls of the mud houses. Slowly, their skill in this field made them very popular.

Anecdotes and Outtakes

The artisans are the rural locals and are masters in their art of moulding clay to well-proportioned utensils. The utensils are painted with vibrant colours adding beauty to the item, in order to attract customers. The artisans are famous worldwide for the creativity of their hands, moulding different intricate and authentic looking patterns with ease.

Clay work is a widely known and creative means attracting diverse users from architects to home makers, children and hobby enthusiasts to jewellery makers. The calling of pot sellers is still heard in Gujarat's urban residential sector. Clay is an ecologically vibrant and biodegradable material, which links us with earth and Mother Nature. The range of pattern and designs vary exhibiting the creativity of mankind.

Techniques

There are a range of techniques employed by the craftsmen of Gujarat to give visual image to their creativity.

• Hand Building and Coiling Technique

The process involves the shaping the clay with hand using coiling technique to make range of products. Products are sculpted from hand by coiling, pinching and slabbing methods.          

In the coiling method, clay is rolled and made into long threads, in which further more is continuously addedin a spiral form to build the shape required. This is then pinched and beaten to give the shape required to the art.

Parts of the body is further joined using paste made up of clay and water also called ‘slip’ and ‘slurry’

• Potter’s Wheel

This is the using commonly used method of making pots by the potters. Mount clay is placed on the wheel head, known as throwing process.

The wheel is rotated to give the mound a desired shape. The process requires through skill and training and is regarded as the most difficult process

Product ranging from water pot to tableware takes shape on the wheel. It is rotated either from hand or is motorised.

•  Embellishment Of Engobe

This method is used for enhancing the surface of the clay or terracotta by embellishing the product before baking. Clay paste or slurry is stained with metal oxide to give coloured embellishment to the product.

• Low Relief

It is the method involving the ornamentation of the clay and mud work. Glass, beads etc. is embedded into the clay product for effective presentation.

The age old creative mean is till date practiced in Gujarat with utmost sincerity and authenticity. New patterns and designs are intricately woven into the clay products by the artisans to give an altogether different meaning to their creative genius.

Photo Gallery