Hello
As an interior architect I always had an affinity with handcrafted objects. I discovered clay as an intriguing medium that allows me to put my conceptual thoughts into reality. The infinite possibilities opposed to the characteristic boundaries make the creation process an inquisitive journey. My work ranges from sculptural pieces to functional tableware with a distinctive design, always 100% handmade in my atelier.
Mindfulness
The process of ceramics takes a lot of patience but it’s also a kind of mindfulness. When you’re "In the Zone”, especially during the shaping process, nothing else matters. Working with clay has been a way to express my creativity. I love to see my customers enjoy there morning coffee with one of my cups or serve delicious food on my plates. My goal is to create intriguing objects that inspire & make people happy.
Process
To appreciate the craftsmanship that is ceramics I like to explain the process. I apply multiple procedures to create my ceramics. It’s a combination of wheel throwing , slip casting, slab building and handbuilding with coils of clay. Though I’m fond of terracotta clay, I also work with porcelain, black clay and plain white clay.
After shaping, the ceramics must dry in preparation for firing. It is important for your clay to be fully dry before firing to avoid it cracking in the kiln, therefore I always plan enough time to dry. Ceramics are (almost) always fired twice: bisque fired and then glaze fired. After the bisque firing, you want the piece to be strong but porous enough to apply the glaze.
All my tableware is fired at 1250° to make it resistant to liquids and non-porous. Therefore it’s perfectly safe to use on a daily basis and to put it in a dishwasher. Yes I said it, a lot of people are afraid to put handmade ceramics in the dishwasher, but it’s really no problem and colours surely won’t fade when fired this high. Other more sculptural work, I often fire at 1050°. This is called ‘Earthenware’ because it’s fired at lower temperatures usually with a maximum of 1080°C.