Growing up in New England, I was surrounded by antique objects that had clearly lived long lives. They felt humble and useful, yet beautifully designed. Among the furniture, baskets, and woodenware, I was always drawn to old brushes. Over time, I began collecting a few antique brushes, along with modern examples I admire, and eventually it felt natural to make my own in clay.
My designs are shaped by the natural world around me, but I always return to my roots: the rural corners of Massachusetts, childhood memories, and the long tradition of New England craft.
Ceramic hand brushes combine utility and sculpture in one satisfying object meant to be held. They are functional pieces, but they also offer endless opportunities for shape, surface design, and material contrast. When I make them, I enjoy bringing a modern perspective to the form while giving a quiet nod to the region where I grew up and the handmade objects that first inspired me.
Slab-Built Handles
This article focuses primarily on slab-built handles, though wheel-thrown versions are also possible. When planning slab thickness, think ahead to firing. If the handle will remain unglazed, you have more flexibility. If fully glazed, a thicker slab will allow the piece to stand upright on the drilled edge during glaze firing. For this reason, I prefer slabs around ¾ inch (1.9 cm) thick. They are easier to drill, easier to fire upright, and support fuller bristle bundles.
Roll the slabs evenly, lifting and flipping occasionally to reduce stress and warping (1). Compress both sides with a soft rib (2). You can cut shapes freehand for organic, playful results, or use templates for repeatable forms (3, 4). Once cut, move the pieces carefully to avoid bending. Resist the urge to clean up rough edges. I recommend doing this at the leather-hard stage.
To keep slab handles flat while drying, place them between boards and loosely wrap them in plastic, so they dry slowly and evenly (5).
Wheel-Thrown Handles
Wheel-throwing the brush handles creates beautiful rounded forms. Throw the handle like a cup, keeping the wall much thicker than usual so there is enough material for drilling. The lip will become the area holding the bristles, so plan your proportions carefully.
Slowly dry thrown handles, trim them at leather hard, and proceed as you would with slab-built pieces.
Shaping
Once the handles are leather hard, refine the shape with a blade or rasp (6, 7). The side that will receive the holes should be flat and stable, especially if firing on that edge.
Finish by smoothing the surface with a sponge, rib, or chamois. These brushes are meant to be held, so comfort matters. Attention to detail will elevate the finished piece.
Drilling Holes
I drill the holes at the leather-hard stage using a hand drill and appropriately sized bits. Use a hole gauge (see 11) to determine the right diameter while leaving enough clay between holes and around the edges so the walls remain strong.
A vise padded with smooth wood pieces makes drilling much easier by supporting the form and reducing pressure distortion (8). Tighten gently.
Drill straight down approximately ½–1 inch (1.2–2.5 cm) depending on the thickness of the handle (9). Shallower holes may not hold the fibers; overly deep holes require you to push the fibers in farther, reducing their exposed length. The wider the hole, the deeper it should be.
Clean the bit between holes, and if clay gums up, let the piece firm up more. Do not drill bone-dry clay. After drilling, soften the hole edges with a damp sponge or fingertip. Then, wrap the piece and allow it to dry slowly.
Glazing and Firing
Surface design is another opportunity to make each brush personal. I love to paint illustrations in cobalt oxide on the bisque-fired surface before covering them with a clear glaze. The main brush shown in this article features a clothesline with sheets blowing in the wind. I have distinct memories of my brothers and me running through our grandmother’s laundry line, letting the sun-warmed cotton brush across our faces as we passed beneath it.
Make sure the handle is bone-dry before bisque firing, especially thicker slab forms.
After bisque firing, glaze the handle but leave the drilled edge unglazed. Clean away any glaze near the holes, and be conservative if using fluid glazes.
I glaze fire many handles standing upright on the drilled edge. Some shapes balance beautifully on their own, while others may need creative stabilization. Avoid firing narrow slab handles horizontally on stilts, as they may sag. Unglazed handles can be fired flat. After the final firing, sand any rough unglazed surfaces.
Choosing Fiber
The contrast between warm, natural fiber and cool, glazed clay is part of what makes these objects so satisfying to handle. For beginners, tampico is forgiving and easy to work with, but always think first about function:
Tampico: a medium-stiffness fiber, great for table brushes.
Goat or horse hair: soft, flexible fibers, better suited for dusting, polishing, and specialty use.
Dyed fibers: If using dyed fibers, rinse and dry them first, as some colors can transfer.
Adding Fiber
Gather your fired handles, fiber, and hole gauge (10). Use your hole gauge to estimate the bundle size needed for each hole (11). Slightly undersized bundles are easier to insert than oversized ones. I recommend creating one test bundle first. Fold the fibers in half and check the fit (12). Once the amount feels right, repeat by eye or weigh bundles for consistency.
Tie thread tightly around the midpoint of each bundle (13, 14). This makes folding and insertion easier. For stiffer fibers like tampico, you can often fold and insert by hand. Softer fibers like goat hair will want to splay out and may need guidance from a wooden gauge or similar tool (15, 16).
Test one bundle dry first. Once satisfied, add glue into the hole and insert the bundle firmly (17). Note: For dry-use brushes, superglue works well. For brushes intended for water, painting, or heavy washing, use a waterproof two-part epoxy or marine epoxy.
Finishing
Once the adhesive cures fully, trim the bristles to shape (18). You might choose blunt and square, softly rounded, angled, or sculptural and decorative forms. Regular scissors work well for most fibers, though haircutting scissors work best for goat and horse hairs.
Ceramic brushes are deeply satisfying objects to make because they live somewhere between tool and artwork. They invite experimentation in shape, glaze, texture, and fiber, and no two ever come out exactly alike. Don’t feel limited to traditional bristles—unexpected materials such as leaves, wheat, or feathers can push the boundaries of what a brush can be, becoming sculptural objects in their own right.
For me, they also carry a connection to the old household objects I admired growing up in New England. Those everyday objects were made to be useful, handled daily, and appreciated for their quiet beauty. I like that these brushes can honor that tradition while still carrying new stories through memories, experimentation, and the joy of making.
Nicole Dacey is a ceramic artist based in Central Massachusetts. She has worked in clay since 2009 and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in art history. Nicole developed her ceramics practice through community studios in Massachusetts and Los Angeles, where she also taught pottery classes. Once focused primarily on wheel-thrown functional ware, her current work explores handbuilt forms, utility objects, and illustrated surfaces inspired by memory, landscape, and New England craft traditions. To see more, visit nicoledaceypottery.comand follow @nicoledaceypotteryon Instagram.
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Growing up in New England, I was surrounded by antique objects that had clearly lived long lives. They felt humble and useful, yet beautifully designed. Among the furniture, baskets, and woodenware, I was always drawn to old brushes. Over time, I began collecting a few antique brushes, along with modern examples I admire, and eventually it felt natural to make my own in clay.
My designs are shaped by the natural world around me, but I always return to my roots: the rural corners of Massachusetts, childhood memories, and the long tradition of New England craft.
Ceramic hand brushes combine utility and sculpture in one satisfying object meant to be held. They are functional pieces, but they also offer endless opportunities for shape, surface design, and material contrast. When I make them, I enjoy bringing a modern perspective to the form while giving a quiet nod to the region where I grew up and the handmade objects that first inspired me.
Slab-Built Handles
This article focuses primarily on slab-built handles, though wheel-thrown versions are also possible. When planning slab thickness, think ahead to firing. If the handle will remain unglazed, you have more flexibility. If fully glazed, a thicker slab will allow the piece to stand upright on the drilled edge during glaze firing. For this reason, I prefer slabs around ¾ inch (1.9 cm) thick. They are easier to drill, easier to fire upright, and support fuller bristle bundles.
Roll the slabs evenly, lifting and flipping occasionally to reduce stress and warping (1). Compress both sides with a soft rib (2). You can cut shapes freehand for organic, playful results, or use templates for repeatable forms (3, 4). Once cut, move the pieces carefully to avoid bending. Resist the urge to clean up rough edges. I recommend doing this at the leather-hard stage.
To keep slab handles flat while drying, place them between boards and loosely wrap them in plastic, so they dry slowly and evenly (5).
Wheel-Thrown Handles
Wheel-throwing the brush handles creates beautiful rounded forms. Throw the handle like a cup, keeping the wall much thicker than usual so there is enough material for drilling. The lip will become the area holding the bristles, so plan your proportions carefully.
Slowly dry thrown handles, trim them at leather hard, and proceed as you would with slab-built pieces.
Shaping
Once the handles are leather hard, refine the shape with a blade or rasp (6, 7). The side that will receive the holes should be flat and stable, especially if firing on that edge.
Finish by smoothing the surface with a sponge, rib, or chamois. These brushes are meant to be held, so comfort matters. Attention to detail will elevate the finished piece.
Drilling Holes
I drill the holes at the leather-hard stage using a hand drill and appropriately sized bits. Use a hole gauge (see 11) to determine the right diameter while leaving enough clay between holes and around the edges so the walls remain strong.
A vise padded with smooth wood pieces makes drilling much easier by supporting the form and reducing pressure distortion (8). Tighten gently.
Drill straight down approximately ½–1 inch (1.2–2.5 cm) depending on the thickness of the handle (9). Shallower holes may not hold the fibers; overly deep holes require you to push the fibers in farther, reducing their exposed length. The wider the hole, the deeper it should be.
Clean the bit between holes, and if clay gums up, let the piece firm up more. Do not drill bone-dry clay. After drilling, soften the hole edges with a damp sponge or fingertip. Then, wrap the piece and allow it to dry slowly.
Glazing and Firing
Surface design is another opportunity to make each brush personal. I love to paint illustrations in cobalt oxide on the bisque-fired surface before covering them with a clear glaze. The main brush shown in this article features a clothesline with sheets blowing in the wind. I have distinct memories of my brothers and me running through our grandmother’s laundry line, letting the sun-warmed cotton brush across our faces as we passed beneath it.
Make sure the handle is bone-dry before bisque firing, especially thicker slab forms.
After bisque firing, glaze the handle but leave the drilled edge unglazed. Clean away any glaze near the holes, and be conservative if using fluid glazes.
I glaze fire many handles standing upright on the drilled edge. Some shapes balance beautifully on their own, while others may need creative stabilization. Avoid firing narrow slab handles horizontally on stilts, as they may sag. Unglazed handles can be fired flat. After the final firing, sand any rough unglazed surfaces.
Choosing Fiber
The contrast between warm, natural fiber and cool, glazed clay is part of what makes these objects so satisfying to handle. For beginners, tampico is forgiving and easy to work with, but always think first about function:
Adding Fiber
Gather your fired handles, fiber, and hole gauge (10). Use your hole gauge to estimate the bundle size needed for each hole (11). Slightly undersized bundles are easier to insert than oversized ones. I recommend creating one test bundle first. Fold the fibers in half and check the fit (12). Once the amount feels right, repeat by eye or weigh bundles for consistency.
Tie thread tightly around the midpoint of each bundle (13, 14). This makes folding and insertion easier. For stiffer fibers like tampico, you can often fold and insert by hand. Softer fibers like goat hair will want to splay out and may need guidance from a wooden gauge or similar tool (15, 16).
Test one bundle dry first. Once satisfied, add glue into the hole and insert the bundle firmly (17). Note: For dry-use brushes, superglue works well. For brushes intended for water, painting, or heavy washing, use a waterproof two-part epoxy or marine epoxy.
Finishing
Once the adhesive cures fully, trim the bristles to shape (18). You might choose blunt and square, softly rounded, angled, or sculptural and decorative forms. Regular scissors work well for most fibers, though haircutting scissors work best for goat and horse hairs.
Ceramic brushes are deeply satisfying objects to make because they live somewhere between tool and artwork. They invite experimentation in shape, glaze, texture, and fiber, and no two ever come out exactly alike. Don’t feel limited to traditional bristles—unexpected materials such as leaves, wheat, or feathers can push the boundaries of what a brush can be, becoming sculptural objects in their own right.
For me, they also carry a connection to the old household objects I admired growing up in New England. Those everyday objects were made to be useful, handled daily, and appreciated for their quiet beauty. I like that these brushes can honor that tradition while still carrying new stories through memories, experimentation, and the joy of making.
Nicole Dacey is a ceramic artist based in Central Massachusetts. She has worked in clay since 2009 and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in art history. Nicole developed her ceramics practice through community studios in Massachusetts and Los Angeles, where she also taught pottery classes. Once focused primarily on wheel-thrown functional ware, her current work explores handbuilt forms, utility objects, and illustrated surfaces inspired by memory, landscape, and New England craft traditions. To see more, visit nicoledaceypottery.com and follow @nicoledaceypottery on Instagram.
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