1. Hand shaping
At this stage, the stoneware is raw and malleable. I work the clay by pinching, coiling, or using slab building techniques, as well as stamping. Each piece is crafted and manipulated one by one.
Discover my handmade ceramics
2. Trimming
The piece must then dry but remain flexible enough to be trimmed. This is called the leather-hard stage. It is at this point that I refine the shapes using a special tool and stamp the bottoms of my pieces. It is also when the clay is at the leather-hard stage that I brush on the decoration. Each piece must then dry completely before being fired for the first time. The drying time varies depending on the size of the pieces and the weather. For example, drying will be much slower in winter due to the cold and humidity.
Shop the cups and mugs
3. Bisque firing
Once the piece is completely dry, it's time to put it in the kiln for its first firing, which is called the bisque firing (or biscuit firing depending on the type of clay). During this firing, the kiln typically reaches 980 degrees Celsius. It takes about ten hours to reach this temperature, then approximately 24 hours to cool down before I can open it again to remove the pieces.
Browse the dinnerware
4. Glazing
The next step is glazing. The clay, fired once, is now solidified but still porous. I apply glazes that I make myself from natural raw materials and without any toxic ingredients.
The glazed pieces are then placed back in the kiln for the second and final firing, this time at 1270 degrees Celsius. This temperature can vary depending on the ceramicist and the types of clay used. The glaze will behave like glass and melt, making the pieces non-porous. The kiln is once again operational for 48 hours before I can remove the finished pieces.
Browse the decoration
-
-
-
-
