CENTRE FOR MODERN & CONTEMPORARY
STUDIO CERAMICS AND ORIGINAL ARTWORK

All my pots are thrown on a potter’s wheel in the first place. Some of these pots I cut and alter to put them together in different shapes. Using this old technique I create square, rectangular or triangular forms. I work with clays from Germany and French Grès. I often mix these clays adding porcelain grog. Apart from stoneware I also work with porcelain.

My pots are glazed inside with a plain, slightly milky glaze. I decorate the outside with slips (dry powder clays enriched with minerals and oxides). I develop my own glazes and slips.

My pots are fired in a one cubic metre gas kiln which I built myself. I don’t biscuit fire my pots. Arranging the pots in the kiln is time consuming work. The firing results are determined not only by the position of the shelves, but also by the way the pots have been arranged on them. After about 12 hours of firing the final temperature of ± 1280º is reached. Only then do I start introducing salt into the kiln. With the help of a compressor I blow 3 kgs of salt in small portions into the white hot kiln through a small hole in its wall. Flames and salt whirl around inside the kiln. The salt melts into the clay.

After all the salt has been added the maximum temperature of 1280º / 1290º is kept for another hour. Then I stop the gas distribution and carefully close the kiln. Two days later I can open it.