Selection of bowls showing the palette of my glazes that I'm working with at the moment, all made with local clays, rocks and wood ash.
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In case you missed my post yesterday, I'll be holding a sale from my online shop on Thursday 11th December at 19:00 GMT. I'll have more of these bowls plus lots of other new work! You can sign up to my newsletter on my website (link in bio) for early access.
Combining and contrasting materials, creating an air of calm and contemplation. These have been the themes of my work for our upcoming exhibition opening at The Department Store in Brixton this Thursday 1st August. I hope to see some of you there! Details of the private view are in my pinned post.
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Pictured is a teapot on a ceramic pedestal, a hand-carved oak teascoop, with a clay dyed teacloth.
The same clay used to throw the teapot has been used to dye the cloth.
These were my favourite pots from our grad show that are yet to find a home - wood-fired tea caddies with turned oak lids. I bought a lathe last year and began learning how to turn wood mainly for this reason - I love the contrast of materials that you see in traditional cha-ire with polished ivory lids. The juxtaposition of light and dark, smooth and rough is something that I always come back to.
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These lids were made from the same waste oak which eventually makes it way back into my work as an ash glaze. It was burned in the stove of my studio. I love finding a way to incorporate the same material into my work in different forms. Local clay is used to throw, to glaze and to dye. Wood is used to turn, burnt for warmth and then melted into glaze.
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I'm reflecting a lot on where my work goes next now my time in Stoke has ended and realising how much the area was intrinsic to my work. It's sad to feel like that work is in the past and it's time to move on, but it's helped me understand that wherever I go, my work is as much a reflection of the place I'm in as it is a reflection of myself. All the more reason to be excited to get making in North Carolina next week.
I've been making hardwood throwing ribs this week. These ones are made from reclaimed Beech wood.
I've resisted selling ribs and tools until now, because I always encourage students to make their own tools and generally oppose the commodification of craft in such ways. But I appreciate it's not always possible, particularly for hobby potters attending workshops, so I have these available for students, and I'll try and get a few of them on my website.
They don't have my name laser etched onto them, they are all unique, and they will age naturally over time. Hopefully one day they will be worn out from throwing, and be replaced!
Little medieval Jug with sprigs and black rock glaze. Nice mixture of red rivulets and green "teadust" crystals on this one.
I delivered this, plus a load of other jugs and nice pots, to @formlifestylestore at the weekend.
Head over to their lovely Manchester shop to have a look!
jugs, jugs, jugs. Making a lot of them lately.
Always fun to make, and great to use. I'm gearing up for a studio move next month, into a big unit on a former horse farm just outside the Potteries. If all goes to plan I'll be sharing progress of the move over the next few weeks, building up the workshop and assembling my new gas kiln. I've reached a bit of a plateau as to the amount of work I can make with my current garage set-up, so it's exciting to have so much space to make and throw on the horizon!
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I'm going to have a bigger workshop and dedicated kiln shed, with a gas kiln, and in time, a bigger wood/oil fired kiln. Exciting times
I'm back home after a great two days teaching @steve_brown_ceramics at his lovely home workshop in Hereford. I've got a quick turnaround as I head to Sweden this evening to teach an Intensive Throwing weekend at @studioannah in Gothenburg. Busy times ahead of my move back to Stoke and into my new premises in a few weeks time!
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Pictured is a black bud vase with cherry blossoms, glazed using only local shale and crushed glass.
Some of my pots from yesterday!
Over the last few days I’ve had my friend Will @_willkeating staying with me, showing me how to throw larger pieces on the wheel. Will also teaches teapot making at @claycollegestoke , where he studied a few years ago and today we’re diving into teapots together.
I’ve known Will since the very start of my journey into clay back in 2020, and although we’ve taken quite different paths, it’s been brilliant to reconnect. He’s spent time out in Japan and in the States learning from some incredibly experienced potters, so it’s been great picking his brain about clay, glaze, and process so there’s already a lot I’ve taken from it.
It’s a reminder of how important it is to step outside your comfort zone and learn from others as it’s helped me unlearn a few bad habits, and has already led to making larger, lighter and overall better pots.
Huge thanks to Will 🙏🏼 and do check out his work. His forms are beautiful, and he has a real connection to using raw materials in his glazes.
Right… I’m off to make some teapots and large bowls. Updates soon!
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#stevebrownceramics #learningpottery #potteryprocess #maker
Ash-glazed harvest jug with sprigs. This ash glaze is my take on the Appalachian "alkaline glaze" that I learned from @matthallyb in North Carolina. Just wood ash, crushed glass, and local clay. A few tweaks to the recipe, plus very different clay, make my version a lot runnier and more "stringy".
Actually trying to replicate the glaze completely has so far been a failure, but I much prefer to let the materials that I have available to me direct the process when I'm formuting glazes. Some clays and rocks just want to do certain things in the kiln, and I find it's best to let them sing.
Pots with layered ash and rock glazes seemed to be a hit at the weekend, time to make more now.
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I have to thank Mike Martino @karatsupots for his informative video on Chosen Karatsu glazing techniques, which has been very useful in making them. I always like applying traditional eastern glaze styles to archetypal western forms such as jugs (pic 3).
Feeling overwhelmed by the support from @manchester_ceramics_fair , thank you so much to everyone that came and bought a pot, had many lovely conversations about pottery, geology, science, art, philosophy and all the ways they intertwine
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Next month I'll be moving into a bigger workshop and expanding, back in Stoke on Trent. I'm looking forward to sharing the process as things unfold! This Friday I'm picking up a gas kiln to get the ball rolling.
I'm busy glazing and firing for @manchester_ceramics_fair this weekend, where I'll have new rock and ash glazed pots. It's my first show of the year and I'm looking forward to it! Got some big changes coming up in the next couple of months, so it might also be my last show for a little while.
Hope to see you there
Small bowl with black glacial sediment glaze and an ash glaze pour
