Clay

Clay is one most abundant raw materials found thoroughout the world. The clay I use comes from Plainsman, located in Medicine Hat, Alberta, near the historic Medalta Pottery.

For my production work I use a fairly common stoneware clay that has a light buff tone. It handles my glazes well, and is very smooth on the bottom when finished.

I experiment with different types of clay when I'm working on decorative and sculptural pieces.

For instance, when I want to create a rougher surface, I'll use clay with a sandier texture. I may also fire it to a different temperature in order to bring different affects out of the glaze. So, I would need a clay that matures in the kiln at a different temperature.

Bisque Firing

Most pottery goes through two firings; a bisque fire and a glaze fire. The bisque is the first firing. Before I bisque fire, my pots need to dry. They sit on the shelves for a few days and moisture evaporates from the clay. They can't be placed in the kiln until the have a grey, chalky look. At this point they are quite fragile.

When they have lost enough moisture the pots are placed in the kiln and fired to approximately 1800 degrees Farenheit. By the time they reach the top temperature any water in the clay will have been driven off leaving a porous surface for the glaze to adhere to.

During the bisque fire the clay I use turns a whitish colour. The pot is harder now, but still breakable. Later, in the glaze fire, the pot will actually vitrify, meaning it will become non-pourous and impenetrable to water.

The last thing I do before glazing is apply a coating of wax on the bottoms of the pots. Since I don't want glaze on the bottoms, the wax is there to resist it.