How it's done
The Kiln
Once our pieces have been crafted from a clay body, they are left alone to become 'bone dry', meaning they are completely dried out and no moisture is left within the clay. It is then time for them to go in the kiln for their first firing. The kiln is a furnace which heats up to a target temperature usually over 12 hours, then reduces back down again. The first firing is call the 'Bisque' fire, reaching around 1000°c. During this firing, the heat causes the water to escape from the clay, turning it into Ceramic! After around another 12 hours of cooling, the kiln is now safe to open and see the results.
The Glazing
Once the pieces have gone through their first firing, they are now ready for glazing. The clay would have changed colour during the Bisque fire, usually leaving you with white or beige pieces depending on what clay has been used. I hand-paint all of my pieces with glaze, using a wide brush to spread the glaze evening across the piece and fine brushes to create patterns if I am doing any illustrative work. It is through the glazing process in which I achieve our bright and beautiful colours. Then, we are ready for our second firing in the kiln. The temperatures here reach anything between 1020°c - 1300°c. Yikes!
The Finish
Finally, after what feels like a lifetime of eagerly waiting for the temperatures to drop to be safe enough for the kiln to be opened, we are left with the results! It is important to say that not everything goes smoothly the first time. Ceramics is very much a craft of trial and error, but my gosh when you get it right, it is ever so rewarding. We then photograph our pieces ready for sale, list them online and then the rest is up to you!
If you would like to know more about our processes, please do not hesitate to get in touch.