Ernest Aryee Workshop:
October 19th 10am-4pm
Ernest Aryee’s Traditional Ghanaian Ceramic Techniques:
Construction Methods:
Ernest employs traditional hand-building techniques passed down through generations, using coiling and molding methods with and without a potter’s wheel. Clay is shaped into a thick coil and built up in spiraling fashion creating the strong architectural forms that characterize his work.
Surface Textures and Decoration:
His work incorporates indigenous Ghanaian decorative techniques including incision, impression, and modeling and creating rich textural surfaces that reference traditional architectural elements. These geometric patterns and incised lines transform functional forms into visual masterpieces, with designs that carry deep cultural significance. Working primarily with red clay, Ernest achieves the warm, earthy tones characteristic of Ghanaian pottery. He uses controlled oxidized and low-oxidized firing atmospheres to achieve different color effects and surface qualities .
Slip and Oxide Applications:
While traditional Ghanaian pottery often features natural clay colors, Ernest likely incorporates contemporary slip and oxide techniques to enhance the architectural qualities of his forms His work bridges the gap between traditional Ghanaian pottery methods and contemporary ceramic art, creating pieces that honor ancestral techniques while speaking to modern architectural sensibilities.
Visit his website: https://ernestaryeestudios.com/
-
Ernest Aryee
October 19, 2025
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Staff
-
Ernest Aryee
Ernest is a creative professional whose experience spans the fields of ceramics, business, and construction engineering. Born in Accra, Ghana, Ernest credits his education in Ghana and the vibrant creative and intellectual atmosphere within his family for influencing his decision to be an artist. He is widely traveled as an artist and educator in The Netherlands, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, the United States, and Ghana. His experience includes lecturing, artist residencies, and presenting workshops and demonstrations. In 2020, he started the Accra Sculpture Invitational residency program in Ghana. For several years he served as international sales and customer Service representative for the ceramics division of Nidec-Shimpo America Corporation. Ernest’s passionate interest has been organizing a travel program, which encourages artists to experience the indigenous crafts environment of Ghana. He has spent many years advancing his own work philosophy through the observation of Indigenous Ghanaian art and culture as practiced in clay, textiles, mural painting, and metalwork. He maintains a studio in the Chicagoland area in Ghana. See his website for more details https://ernestaryeestudios.com/