Process

Each piece is handmade using mid-fire clay. The entire process, from a lump of clay to a finished piece, can take anywhere from 2 weeks to a month. At any moment something can go wrong and the whole piece or multiple pieces are ruined. Everything is slow and intentional, no part of the process can be fast tracked. 

 

The process.. 

The clay is first divided into the desired weight and wedged to remove air bubbles and to even out the texture of the clay. 

It is then shaped into a mug or planter using a pottery wheel and left for a day or two to dry to a leather hard state. 

Once dried, the mug or planter is placed upside down on the pottery wheel and trimmed to remove excess clay and to create the intended shape. Each piece is then stamped on the bottom and the features are shaped (including, boobs, faces and handles) and are attached to the piece. 

It is then covered in plastic and stored on the shelf to dry for approximately 4-5 days to prevent cracking. 

Once bone dry, the piece is placed in an electric kiln and fired to 1000 degrees celsius/ 1832 degrees fahrenheit. This takes roughly 24 hours to get to the required temperature and cool down. The kiln is programmed to fire to a specific firing schedule depending on the properties of the clay. If the clay heats up too quickly it may explode or crack so it has to be slow fired to prevent defects and damage to the piece. 

Once the kiln has cooled down, items are removed, sanded and washed. They are then glazed by paint brush or dip glazed in either white or clear glaze. 

The piece is fired in the kiln once again at a higher temperature of approximately 1150 degrees celsius / 2102 degrees fahrenheit. This too takes about 24 hours. Once cooled, the piece is checked for defects, cleaned and packaged ready for dispatch.