A new pottery tradition has been developing along the border of northern
Indiana and southern Michigan. Despite the fact that this region is not
yet an established destination for pottery collectors, Michiana potters
are committed to pursuing their craft thanks to the presence of a
community of like-minded artists. The Michiana Potters, an
ethnographic exploration of the lives and art of these potters, examines
the communal traditions and aesthetics that have developed in this
region. Author Meredith A. E. McGriff identifies several shared methods
and styles, such as a preference for wood-fired wares, glossy glaze
surfaces, cooler colors, the dripping or layering of glazes on ceramics
that are not wood-fired, the handcrafting of useful wares as opposed to
sculptural work, and a tendency to borrow forms and decorative effects
from other regional artists. In addition to demonstrating a methodology
that can be applied to studies of other emergent regional traditions,
McGriff concludes that these styles and methods form a communal bond
that inextricably links the processes of creating and sharing pottery in
Michiana.