Ceramics Monthly Articles (Simple)

Lisa York and Trevor Youngberg share recipes that they use on their wood-fired vessels.

A slotted firebrick for firing flat test tiles and a wooden rack for handling them outside the kiln function in tandem to keep glaze tests organized in this potter’s studio.

You may know about crystalline glazes, but are you aware of microcrystalline glazes? These consist of smaller crystals with subtle changes in surface color and texture. And, the best thing is they don

Foundational experiences from Carly Slade’s upbringing in a blue-collar family that valued hand work pervade her sculptures, which focus on vehicles and architecture in working-class communities.

A combination of lost access to gas kilns due to a studio closure and limited funds led Boris Robinson to build a DIY downdraft gas kiln using an old electric kiln. He shares the process and final des

Struck by the complexity of a cup given as a gift, Dick Lehman packed it away lest it influence him too much, and eventually lost track of it. The image he recalls of this vessel, however, has evolved

Meg Beaudoin had been working for 20 years as a psychologist and psychoanalyst when she took a ceramics class and immediately felt a connection with clay. After many more classes and workshops and a s

After moving frequently, both early in life and for his job, Graeme Anderson visited rural Lightning Ridge in New South Wales, Australia. Feeling a connection, he moved there permanently and started m

After setting up shop in industrial spaces in Minneapolis, Minnesota, then moving back to the East Coast and building kilns on friends’ properties so he could keep making work, Trevor Youngberg now ha

Group firings bring together potters to share in the labor and rewards of the kiln. As a guest, maximize the amount of work you can fit into another artist’s firing with these smart and considerate ti

Richard Rowland emphasizes the collaborative nature of working with clay with each project he takes on, from making mugs for cancer patients finished with treatment to creating a two-ton, wood-fired m

Images from Current and Upcoming Exhibitions

Unless you don’t fire the clay objects you make, at some point you have to decide what type of surface work best with your ideas. Kiln type and access are often major factors when artists develop a co

When throwing numerous open forms off the hump, the possibility of deformation is greatest at the moment of cutting the piece off the wheel and transferring it to a ware board to dry. To minimize this

After a long career in manufacturing, while making pots on the side, Monte Young moved from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Jasper, Indiana, to be closer to family. The move also gave him the opportunity

Engaging asylum seekers and refugees in hands-on workshops, Julie Nelson led the creation of over 200 ceramic birds. The project has culminated in exhibitions of the birds, as well as research into th

deadlines for exhibitions, fairs, and festivals.

Jen Allen, Monte Young, and Alex Zablocki share a few of the glaze and kiln wash recipes they use when making their work.

When did you last change your elements? What exactly was that glaze combination you tested a while ago? Keep up with what goes on inside your kiln by maintaining a thorough kiln log.

Bentonite is an amazing material, adding plasticity to clay bodies, greatly improving glaze suspension, and helping glazes harden. Properly adding it to a mix of materials can be very tricky. Learn ho