Process |
Throwing, Trimming, and Drying
The majority of my pots are made on a potters wheel. I was introduced to the wheel in college, and I wasn't very good at it, to be honest. But there was something about the challenge of it that intrigued me. It wasn't long before I was hooked.
The process of taking clay and turning it into functional pots is long. It requires skill, but more importantly it requires both patience and attention. Clay has to be wedged, weighed, turned, allowed to dry partially, then trimmed (in the case of foot rings), added to (in the case of handles), then slowly dried further all before the first firing. The whole process is a kind of collaboration between myself and the clay. I have to listen to what the clay is telling me as much as I am coaxing the clay into the shape I desire. In a lifetime of making pots, I find that the clay has shaped me as much as I have shaped the clay.
The process of taking clay and turning it into functional pots is long. It requires skill, but more importantly it requires both patience and attention. Clay has to be wedged, weighed, turned, allowed to dry partially, then trimmed (in the case of foot rings), added to (in the case of handles), then slowly dried further all before the first firing. The whole process is a kind of collaboration between myself and the clay. I have to listen to what the clay is telling me as much as I am coaxing the clay into the shape I desire. In a lifetime of making pots, I find that the clay has shaped me as much as I have shaped the clay.
Glazing
Glazing is as much a science as an art. I found that very intimidating at first, but over time I've come to both appreciate and enjoy the chemistry involved. All of my glazes are made by hand, usually from my own recipes. Some of these recipes are made from locally sourced clay. Most are modern interpretations of glazes that have been used for centuries in Asian cultures.
My favorite glazes of all belong to a family known as Shino glazes. Shino glazes are relatively simple in chemical terms, but it is in that simplicity that their complexity lies. They are highly sensitive to almost every condition. They react differently to different clay bodies, to variations in thickness, to humidy in the air, and even to the number of days between when the glaze was applied and when the pots are fired. This leads to a broad variety of surface colors and textures that are sometimes subtle, sometimes shocking, and almost entirely unpredictable. I often add to their unpredicable nature by layering them with each other and with wood ash, which by itself melts into a glaze of various colors and textures. While this sometimes leads to disappointment, it also leads to a kind of poetic, natural beauty that can't be achieved any other way.
My favorite glazes of all belong to a family known as Shino glazes. Shino glazes are relatively simple in chemical terms, but it is in that simplicity that their complexity lies. They are highly sensitive to almost every condition. They react differently to different clay bodies, to variations in thickness, to humidy in the air, and even to the number of days between when the glaze was applied and when the pots are fired. This leads to a broad variety of surface colors and textures that are sometimes subtle, sometimes shocking, and almost entirely unpredictable. I often add to their unpredicable nature by layering them with each other and with wood ash, which by itself melts into a glaze of various colors and textures. While this sometimes leads to disappointment, it also leads to a kind of poetic, natural beauty that can't be achieved any other way.
Firing
Here's one of the interesting things most people don't know about clay: when you heat clay to really high temperatures (starting at around 1300 degrees Fahrenheit), it actually changes into a new material. It becomes ceramic. So kilns don't just heat up the clay, they transform it into something new.
I primarily use two types of kilns: electric and natural gas. Electric kilns are wonderfully efficient and reliable. Today's electric kilns are computer controlled, so they are great for consistency. I use them primarily for the first firing of the work (bisque), and for some glaze firings.
I primarily use two types of kilns: electric and natural gas. Electric kilns are wonderfully efficient and reliable. Today's electric kilns are computer controlled, so they are great for consistency. I use them primarily for the first firing of the work (bisque), and for some glaze firings.