I am excited that Haddenham Art Centre have agreed to stock my new smoke-fired vessels. Lydia at Haddenham Arts Centre was kind enough to buy a similar one at their Summer Art Market. Since then I’ve been experimenting with the form and decoration to produce the current collection. I hope you will agree that they came out well. I particularly like the tactile feel of the surface and the treatment of the rim.
The firing is a low temperature (less than 1000 degrees C) process so the clay remains porous. This allows smoke from the firing to enter the clay surface and create these wonderful marks. The patterns are created using various resist techniques to control the penetration of the smoke.
If you have any smoke-fired ceramics made by me or anyone else here are a few tips that will help you keep them looking their best. Because the clay remains porous it is best not to put water in them as the water may leave a mark on wooden surfaces. Instead, either enjoy them as they are, or why not try dried flowers or wire or willow flowers? To avoid fading over time, keep your purchase away from direct sunlight. And if you want to top-up the shine, smoke-fired pottery is often treated with some kind of polish. I use Cambridge Traditional Products Beeswax Furniture Polish but you should check with the maker if you can to ensure compatibility.