GALLERY > Making the Pottery

All my pottery is produced in my home studio, which includes all the assets and materials to produce the wares. Wet stoneware clay, premade, is ordered and thrown on a Shimpo Whisperer electric wheel. Occasionally, I mix my own clay from dry ingredients. Once thrown and assembled, drying racks allow the forms to dry for bisque firing in an outdoor gas kiln. Bisque firing can take at least 12 hours. Some pieces are hand carved freehand on still-moist clay prior to bisque firing. Every glaze is handmade from recipes and modified if issues occur during test firings. Bisqued pots are glazed by brush, pouring, or dipping methods to ensure quality control for runny glazes and visual asthetics with thicker glazes. No lead or cadmium is used in any of my glazes. Glaze firing is done in a propane-fueled kiln. Full reduction can occur by firing to cone 9 in the gas kiln. Glaze firing time is 4-7 hours or until "witness cones" bend at the right temperature. Finished pots are pulled from a cooled kiln and packed for shipping or for exhibit. Every piece is signed by hand either on still wet clay or brushed signature with an iron oxide wash.