Why a glaze crazes after the pot has cooled
A fine crackle can appear days after firing because glaze and clay carry different strains. Cooling sets the initial fit; later moisture expansion can push a vulnerable surface into crazing.
A place for slower thoughts
Clay at the Table
Pots for ordinary mornings, studio observations and the work between firings.
Words by Mara Ellis
The archive
4 storiesFrom the notebook
What a witness cone records during a firing
A witness cone preserves the heatwork received at its shelf, not a kiln's whole temperature history. Its bend can reveal a difference the controller misses, if you know how to read it.
The beautiful mug with a handle nobody can hold
The mug looked excellent on a shelf. The glaze had broken pleasantly along the edge, the body had a gentle taper and the handle completed the silhouette. I made tea, picked it up and discovered
Handmade bowls aren’t meant to look factory-perfect
Six bowls came out of the same batch with six slightly different faces. One glaze looked deeper near the foot. Another rim carried a little more movement. A third bowl was the one I kept
Meet the writers
All authors