My Work
 
There are many different methods used to shape clay. My preference lies with ‘throwing’ on a potter’s wheel (a 5,000 year old invention) and the occasional bit of ‘pinching’ and ‘slab building’. I mostly use a stoneware clay. This is very durable - more so than earthenware, has a relatively fine texture and is oven and dishwasher safe (It may be susceptible to shock extremes of temperature though).
 
There are many different variables that dictate the finish of a piece. For example; how long it is immersed in the glaze, how homogenised the glaze is, the viscosity of the glaze and how it sits or runs on the surface, how one glaze reacts to another, the variables in firing…and so it goes on. I have learnt that there is unpredictability in every piece and that no two pieces are ever exactly the same.

 

My pieces that have been ‘thrown’ have undergone a minimum six step process:

 

    1. Kneading
This gets rid of air pockets in the clay and also makes it more plastic and easier to work with.



 
     

 

   2. Throwing
This is where a ball of clay is placed on the wheel and the main form of the piece is created while the wheel spins.

 
     
    3. Turning
When partially dry, the piece is turned upside down on the wheel and its base is shaped and refined using specialised turning tools.
     
  4. Biscuit firing
The fully formed piece is placed in the kiln and fired to a temperature of 1000’ C to dry out and harden the clay. A second biscuit firing is not unusual when using multiple glazes.

 
     
  5. Glazing
The surface of the clay is coated in glaze to seal and water proof the clay and to determine the finished aesthetic. Minor imperfections frequently result from the nature of the glaze and glazing process. However these often add to the piece in a positive way, underlining its handcrafted origins.

 
     
  6. Glaze firing
The piece is fired with a kiln temperature of 1200’c to ensure vitrification and durability of the clay. It also melts the glaze.