pottery at the studio

Throwing on a wheel always appealed to me. Watching a lump of clay rise magically from the base of a spinning wheel is utterly fascinating. Sadly, that art room potter’s wheel was always out of bounds for us so when I finally had the opportunity to give it a whirl (pun accidental but I’ll leave it there) I was hooked.

Glaze chemistry is equally fascinating and almost entirely unpredictable. The finished result depends on the type of clay body used, the firing temperature of the kiln, how quickly or slowly it cools and whether it’s oxygen rich or deprived. The more predictable glazes tend to be subtle and neutral so it’s fun to add colour and see what combinations of glazes produce. From numerous experiments and copious notes, a basic palette of glazes and combinations is formed.