What’s the deal about porcelain?

I work exclusively with grolleg porcelain, an especially high quality material in which the main clay ingredient, kaolin, comes from mines in England. It’s a very fine material, well suited to my interest in texture and inlaid slip decoration. This is a very hard, durable porcelain — not the fragile, delicate ‘china’ many people associate with the term. It is microwave and dishwasher safe.

How do you make this pottery?

Everything I make is handbuilt from slabs of porcelain formed on the potters wheel. The wheel allows me to thoroughly compress the clay which gives it added strength and integrity. Texture and inlaid slip patters are applied with a variety of simple tools in a way that lends a bit of irregularity and individuality to each piece.

Are the glazes safe?

The two glazes I use are mixed from common minerals in my studio and do not include lead or any other toxic materials. They also are a beautiful complement to the textured surface patterns.

What about firing the pottery?

I fire in a large gas-fired car kiln to a temperature of about 2400 degrees Fahrenheit — almost white hot. At this extreme temperature the porcelain is actually beginning to melt a bit, giving the edges a softer, slightly slumped appearance and an individual character to each piece.

What’s the best way to care for this pottery?

Using a dishwasher minimizes the banging around that is most likely the cause of cracking and breakage. Thermal shock — going from one temperature extreme to another—should be avoided: from the refrigerator right into the microwave over, for example. Teapots should also be preheated with hot water before boiling water is inserted.