Introduction to Chinese Ceramics

Chinese ceramics represent one of the most influential and enduring artistic traditions in the world, shaping global aesthetics, trade, and cultural exchange for thousands of years. In this immersive program, artist Xiao Qin guides participants through both the history and practice of Chinese ceramic art.

The session begins with a lecture tracing the evolution of Chinese ceramics—from early earthenware and high-fired stoneware to the refinement of porcelain and decorative glazing techniques. Participants will gain insight into how ceramics reflect technological innovation, regional identity, philosophy, daily life, and cross-cultural exchange along the Silk Road and beyond.

Following the lecture, participants will engage directly with clay through a guided, hands-on experience. The workshop introduces the fundamental processes of ceramic creation, including:

• Handbuilding techniques – shaping forms using traditional pinch and coil methods, as well as joining and attachment techniques.

• Hand carving – exploring surface decoration through carving and surface texture treatments

• Glazing and color techniques – understanding how glaze transforms clay through firing

  
  

This program offers a rare opportunity to connect historical knowledge with embodied practice. Whether you are new to ceramics or looking to deepen your appreciation of Chinese material culture, this workshop provides both context and creative exploration.

All skill levels are welcome.

About the artist

Xiao Qin is a multidisciplinary artist and designer based between Chicago and Beijing. Her practice is rooted in material storytelling and cross-cultural dialogue, navigating the intersections of tradition and innovation shaped by her lived experiences in China and the United States.

Working across ceramics, jewelry, and mixed-media installations, Xiao Qin explores themes of memory, heritage, and transformation. Whether designing a teapot that tells a story or crafting jewelry that bridges past and present, she approaches making as a dynamic exchange—between material and maker, tradition and experimentation, memory and transformation. For her, the studio becomes a site of reflection and dialogue, where inherited techniques meet contemporary inquiry.

Each piece emerges through an attentive and intentional process, carrying layers of personal narrative and cultural resonance. Through her work, Xiao Qin invites viewers to slow down and consider how objects hold history, embody care, and continue evolving in meaning across generations and geographies.