Review of Texas Ceramics: From Land to Hand

Pottery is one of the oldest art forms in human history, and delivers much of what we know about the past due to its necessity and linkage to everyday life. In fact, ceramic objects cannot be carbon-dated in the traditional way because clay-minerals are intrinsically millions of years old – and instead must be assessed in relation to other similar objects or pieces of mineral. This connection between material, time, and human experience comes alive in the Witte Museum's Texas Ceramics: From Land to Hand exhibition that highlights the creativity, cultural specific, and enduring significance of ceramic vessels made from Texas clay. The show includes a variety of works created using local minerals and soil in handmade clay ranging from ancient to contemporary works, emphasizing and comparing the many regional styles, mixtures, and techniques used by local artisans over centuries.

Installation view of Harding Black pieces  in Texas Ceramics: From Land to Hand at the Witte Museum. Image courtesy of Elroy Kay.

At the main entrance of the gallery are nine ceramic pieces by Texas artist Harding Black. Born in Aransas Pass in 1912, Black spent over two decades as an instructor at the Witte Museum in some of its formative years from 1932 to 1956. He became known for an extensive catalogue of experimentations with ceramic glazes, for which he references ancient Chinese pottery and techniques. He documented each of these experiments to be reproduced and shared among artists who wish to create their own glazes. These unique glaze recipes contribute to the bright speckled colors on each piece that sets them apart from the rest of the exhibit which features mainly earth-tones that come from the makeup of the clay or slip added before the firing process. Through this contrast, Black’s mixture of traditional and original formulas synthesized cultural expression and individual creativity.

Upon entering the gallery there is writing with information on the history of cultural expression in Texas pottery-making. The Caddo were a sedentary tribe known for their agriculture as well as advanced pottery techniques. Conversely, the Coahuiltecans were a nomadic tribe forced to settle in the San Antonio Missions. Despite this, they continued their own pottery traditions while living there by using ancestral techniques like bone tempering, which is the addition of crushed animal bone to clay mixtures in order to make it stronger and more resistant to the thermal shock of kiln firing.This attention to detail established a reliable firing process in addition to durable items that could be carried with less fear of breaking – qualities that were necessary for their originally nomadic lifestyle. This reveals one of the ways that the Coahuiltecans maintained cultural identity through Spanish colonization in the early 18th century.

Installation view of Ant Trap in Texas Ceramics: From Land to Hand at the Witte Museum. Image courtesy of Elroy Kay.

Near the lefthand entrance are several utilitarian pieces created by Meyer Pottery, one of the leading ceramics producers in Texas from 1887 to 1964. Founded by William Meyer and Franz Schultz in Atascosa, they produced household items that Texans would use every day. Among the pieces displayed at the Witte are a butter churner, milk bowl, and ant trap. The ant trap is a small ceramic bowl-within-a-bowl with a flat bottom. Water or Kerosene was poured into the outer-ring while the inner-ring remained dry. Each leg of a table was rested inside the dry inner-ring, creating a moat of kerosene that ants could not cross. This prevented ants from climbing up the legs of the table, and thus protecting food from infestation while it laid on the table. Meyer pottery was known for its use of painted slip sourced from Leon Creek, which can range from a yellow-brown to earthy-green color depending on the thickness and firing temperature, causing each piece to be slightly unique and altered by the individual craftsman that oversaw manufacturing. Rather than mass-production, Meyer Pottery maintained a personal touch to each piece, linking the user to the craftsman through each use, and strengthening cultural identity through ceramic objects.

Installation view of “Sauer-Kraut Press” in Texas Ceramics: From Land to Hand at the Witte Museum. Image courtesy of Elroy Kay.

In the far left corner, there are three pieces by Saenger Pottery Works, a manufacturer founded by German immigrants that incorporated the white clay in Elmendorf. In 1903, the founder William Saenger submitted a patent application for the “Sauer-Kraut Press,” the item shown above. It is a heavy circular weight pressed on submerged cabbage to prevent it from floating above the brine in the fermentation process: thus preventing oxidation and bacteria growth. Similarly to the Ant Trap, German immigrant families used items such as these to prepare and preserve their own sauerkraut made from local cabbage farms, keeping them in touch with European heritage while living in Texas.

Installation view of Three-Gallon Jug  in Texas Ceramics: From Land to Hand at the Witte Museum. Image courtesy of Elroy Kay.

To the right is a Three-Gallon Jug created by enslaved potters in the Guadalupe area using a Groundhog Kiln – a traditional Southeastern United States kiln made from a hole dug into the ground or the side of a mountain. It can hold many pieces at once, but takes several days and many workers to tend to the fire. These enslaved potters at Guadalupe Potteries were involved in every stage of production from gathering clay, preparing glazes, to hand-making the piece. The vessel shown here has a wide base, narrow top, and small spout, as well as a handle attached for ease of use – a common vessel style that we still use today in items such as plastic milk jugs due to its intuitive/ergonomic design. 

Overall, Texas Ceramics: From Land to Hand thoroughly displays the diverse ways that Texas-made clay has been used throughout history. Ranging from utilitarian to decorative, yet all linked to water or food storage, they share the common thread of Texan artisans using local minerals to create something new, with an emphasis on materiality. This exhibition offers the unique experience of seeing these objects in proximity to each other, as well as gives a new perspective on how greatly location and lifestyle affect the process, outcome, and use of pottery in our everyday lives. Viewing these pieces led me to re-assess the way that I view pottery items in my own life, whether that be a bowl made by a friend or a hand-thrown cup I bought at Goodwill, or even the saltillo tile commonly found in buildings along the Riverwalk; there is culture and community present in every clay item, and local clay is well-worth the celebration given through this exhibit. Though there could be more context given from the museum through plaques, the objects speak for themselves in telling the story of many differing lives and cultures that have taken place on Texas soil. 

Texas Ceramics: From Land to Hand is open until February 8, 2026. Designed for all ages, and located on the first floor in the Russell Hill Rogers and Laura & Sam Dawson Galleries. Check the Witte Museum's website for more information.