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The audio file for this article was produced by the Ceramic Arts Network staff and not read by the author.
Ceramics Monthly: How do you incorporate experimentation into your studio practice?
Cruz Quintero: I am always experimenting with my studio practice. Recently, developing clay bodies has been a major part, and I have been focusing on trying to understand the materials and equipment I have access to. I have been testing how different materials respond to a high-temperature soda atmosphere and paying attention to surface interactions. At the same time, I experiment through form and firing. I enjoy repeating familiar shapes with subtle changes and seeing how they will respond to the soda atmosphere.
The soda firing itself is also a major area of experimentation. I adjust how and when soda is introduced, where pieces are placed in the kiln, and by paying close attention to the kiln atmosphere. Because I cannot fully control each firing, I take notes to compare results and let the new information guide the next round of work and testing. Over time, the experimentation is becoming cumulative. I think it is less about dramatic change and more about slowly refining my processes.
CM: What is the most challenging aspect of working in clay (either technically or in terms of building a career)?
CQ: I think the most challenging aspect of working in clay is the constant demand to push beyond what I already know. There doesn't seem to be many shortcuts in ceramics. Every adjustment in material or firing changes the outcome. When searching for something that feels unique to me, I have to test things that I know will fail completely.
That means I end up refining variables one at a time, and accepting that many results will not work. Sometimes flaws are subtle and require careful analysis to understand; other times, the flaw is immediate and physical. Either way, the process requires sustained research and discipline. I am always trying to move toward surfaces or structural results that feel undiscovered, and that technical pursuit requires patience, risk, and a willingness to rebuild from mistakes.
Learn more at cruzquintero.com or follow on Instagram @cruzquinteroceramics.
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