The Process
What a piece looks like offers a fixed point of attention, and invites us into the present moment. Color, form and weight are all elements of design, but they’re also the details that help us connect to how we feel. It’s important to me to know that the pitcher pours smoothly, and looks beautiful on the shelf; that the mug sits sturdily but also fits comfortably to the shape of your hand.
It’s a process that involves attention and patience. Where do I begin? First, it’s all about color.
I love color, and I don’t shy away from it in my work.
But you never know what you have until it’s gone through the kiln. On a good day, everything clicks, and I have the cleanest and brightest shade of blue. On another, I’ll mix glazes, take meticulous notes, and sample variation on bits of clay before loading them all into the kiln, and after hours of work still have not achieved purple.
When I have my colors, I have a vision. This is when I’m going to make something on the wheel.
There are several iterations where I change the size, weight and feel of the thing. Once I’ve settled on the form and size of the cup, I’ll make a handle and decide it’s too bulky. Make another, and sit with it until I notice that it hangs to one side. Each time I try something new, I take my time with it.
Once I understand what it needs, I keep going. How long I spend on the design depends on the piece.
Once the mock-up is complete, it’s time to return to the wheel again. Throwing it on the wheel goes quickly, and requires my absolute focus. It takes only a few minutes to shape, and then it sits until it can be handled. I trim and shape until it’s reached a final form, where sometimes I have another decision to make. Does this cup want a handle, or should this vase be coaxed into a vessel that pours? This is where technical precision matters most.
Next? It dries. For days.
I can tell by touch whether it’s ready. Different clays behave differently, and size and shape also impacts how long it will take. It’s crucial that there isn’t any remaining moisture before it’s exposed to heat, so I have to be certain. If it’s cold when I pick it up, there’s still water in the clay. If it feels warm to the touch, it’s ready.
Each piece is fired twice. The first time brings it from a rawer to harder form, fired at a lower temperature. It stays in the kiln for 18 to 24 hours, and then I bring it out to begin layering on color by glazing. It’ll return to the kiln at an even higher heat, and it stays for another 30 hours. When it comes out - after a few final finishing touches - it’s ready to be used.
