Did You Know?

Each of my handmade pieces can take up to 1 month to create, start to finish

The process begins by forming each unique piece using raw clay. Once complete, it must be dried slowly for up to 2 weeks to ensure every bit of moisture has evaporated. “Bone Dry” is the term used to describe the state of clay that is kiln ready.

Next, bone-dry pieces are loaded into my kiln and fired to 1,945 degrees Fahrenheit. This first firing is called a “Bisque” fire, which takes approximately 24 hours to complete. After the Bisque fire is complete, the previously raw clay has transformed into a permanent state, that can no longer return to clay form.

Then comes my favorite part - design!

I hand paint each piece using underglaze – a special kind of clay-based paint that can withstand the intense temperatures of a kiln without moving or melting. This step can take anywhere from 1 hour to several days, depending on the complexity of the design.

I then apply one or more glazes to seal in my design before it goes back into the kiln for a final “Glaze” firing. Glazes are applied as a liquid, which dry into layers of powdery magic! This time, the kiln uses its heat to turn my layers of dried glaze into a molten, thick, beautiful, glossy, glass finish. It takes another 18 - 24 hours to reach 2,232 degrees Fahrenheit and then cool down completely. This is the most suspenseful part! You never truly know how all of the components are going to react inside the kiln. On top of that, if pieces are taken out of the kiln too soon, they will warp, crack, and even break. This hobby is not for the impatient.. one false move and you might just end up back at square one!