Micaceous clay and kintsugi
Micaceous clay bean pot- the lid doubles as a serving bowl. |
Micaceous clay is a low fire clay with mica flakes added for strength and thermal shock properties. Traditional stoneware should not be used on the stove top or in a hot oven due to the dangers of it breaking when heated rapidly.
This type of clay has been in use for centuries and can be used on the stovetop and placed in a hot oven. Each functional piece is handmade, burnished with a stone or spoon, and fired twice. Once in a kiln, and once in a barrel or fire pit to impart the beautiful smoky, nebulous textures. Non-functional pieces (not intended for food) may be bare or have a clear glaze put on them before being put in the barrel.. Due to the unpredictable nature of barrel firing (there are no shelves and pieces are tumble-stacked, allowing them to move and tumble as the combustible elements in the barrel burn) there is some risk of breakage. This breakage has allowed me to venture into a modern version of Kintsugi, a Japanese tradition of emphasising imperfections by repairing pottery with gold and lacquer. Due to cost restrictions, I do not use real gold. Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have :) |
Kintsugi
Some images are clickable.