The making
All pieces are individually made on the potter's wheel. They're all made by hand, without a ruler or moulds. The throwing part can take as little as a few minutes.
After a day, the piece is leather-hard and can be trimmed. This is the moment the pot gets its final shape. I can easily spend half an hour getting it right. Sometimes I like to give the pot some structure so the glazes will break and flow, sometimes I want the clay to be as smooth as sea glass or beach pebbles, then they have to be polished.
The bisque firing
When the pot is completely dry, it gets fired to 1040ºC. During this firing, the clay gets stronger and loses gases, but it is still porous enough to absorb the glazes.
The glazing
I glaze all my pots with a brush. It's time-consuming, but it gives the opportunity to create an interesting surface, with much more colour variation than dipping or spraying. I work with beautiful clay bodies, not standard white, which affects the outcome of the glazes in a positive way.
The clay is so beautiful that I often glaze the outside just partly so the clay can be seen and felt.
I use non-toxic glazes, which means I can't use all colors, but I think there are still a lot of beautiful colors and combinations to choose from.
The glaze firing
When the glaze is completely dry, the pot gets fired for the second time. This time, at 1220ºC, it becomes vitrified and waterproof. Depending on how many pieces there are in the kiln, the firing can take up to 12 hours. I use green energy to fire my kilns. The cooling takes another 18 hours.
The kiln can be opened when the pieces are around 60ºC. That's the moment I see if all the work has paid off.
The selling
I have chosen to sell my pieces on my own website. All the pots will be photographed from at least four angles. The pot you see in the shop is the pot you'll get when you order it.
The shipping
The pot will be carefully packed. I take a lot of time to make sure the pot will survive its journey.