Ceramics – in the making

Coiling

Each pot is individually made using coils of clay, either rolled by hand or, more recently, extruded. Then carefully joined and pressed together using fingers and thumb (luting) with the addition of slip (a paste made of clay and water). The process is slow and methodical – only 2 or 3 coils are added at one time, allowing the clay to stiffen-up before additional coils are joined.

As the form evolves I use different techniques, including scrafitto, sprigging, impressing and burnishing, to achieve a variety of textures and patterns.

The clays I currently use are Earthstone Hand-Building Smooth Crank and Potclays Craft Crank.

Glazing

A love of bright colours inspires my glazing. I mix each glaze by hand from raw materials.

My glazing palettte is made-up from a number of coloured glazes generally with a satin finish. The addition of gold lustre to some pieces gives an almost celestial quality.

Firing

All work is allowed to dry before being fired in a top-hat electric kiln.

The first firing, known as biscuit or bisque firing, is at 1000 deg C. This hardens the clay in preparation for glazing. The piece is still porous at this point.

Glaze-firing is next at a temperature of 1250 deg C. This vitrifies the piece making it non-porous.

Lustre work requires a further firing at around 780 deg C.