Let me share the many steps in the creation of my wildlife inspired pottery.
What if you take a moment of an experience in nature, a meeting with a brightly colored bird or an elusive critter and capture it in clay to keep forever. To hold that wild encounter in your hands every time you take a sip of coffee or serve appetizers at your next gathering. These encounters, these special, surreal moments are the spark of creation to every Fire Creek piece. Here is how your favorite piece of pottery starts with a spark of imagination. It transforms into a beautiful, functional work of art.
- Slab- Every piece begins as a slab. A flat .25-inch piece of clay that is cut to size and folded into the form of a mug. Or draped over a mold to form a platter. Once the piece is built, it is set aside to firm to leather hard.
- Sketching the design- After the piece dries enough, it holds its shape while being handled. Wildlife and nature elements are then sketched onto the surface with a pencil. Here, I take care to achieve proper proportions and composition for a beautiful piece.
- Wax Coating- After the design is satisfactory, the piece is coated with wax. When the wax is dry, the design is carefully carved through the wax to the bare clay with a tiny diamond tipped tool. I love the L1 tool from Diamond Core Tools. When the entire design is carved, the piece is set aside to dry.
- Underglaze Wash- Once the piece is completely dry, an underglaze wash is brushed over the surface of the piece. The underglaze settles into the carved areas of the design and is absorbed into the clay. The wax resists in areas that are not carved, making it easy to wipe away the excess underglaze.
- Bisque Fire- The piece is put into the kiln for its first firing. The wax burns away and an inlay of underglaze creates the outline of the design on the piece. The mug or platter is sanded smooth and then hand painted with underglazes. A clear glaze is applied over the top of the design. A complimentary glaze is brushed inside the mug or the backside of the platter.
- Glaze Fire- The piece is put back into the kiln for the glaze fire.
Seven days later, one beautiful piece is ready to bring smiles, evoke memories, and add joy to the one who has given it a wonderful home.
