Most of my work is thrown on an electric potter’s wheel (Shimpo or Brent). I began using porcelain as an undergraduate, at the University of Evansville, and continue to use it for most of my work. I currently use Standard Ceramic Supply’s #257 porcelain, a very white, workable, and responsive body, and recommend it highly.

Depending on the complexity of the form, some pieces may take a week or more to complete. This would include preparing the porcelain, throwing, drying, trimming, assembling of parts, and further drying to the bone dry state, when a piece if finally ready for firing. Forms requiring the assemblage of several parts include sprigged pieces (i.e. my leaves and acorns), teapots, casseroles, compote forms, hand-built forms, and anything requiring a handle. (See also my “Influences” page for more information) 

Depending on size, pieces are bisque fired in one of three electric kilns to Orton cone 06, taking 8 hours or more. When cooled and unloaded from the kiln, each piece is then brushed with wax to keep it free of glaze, where necessary, during the glazing process (feet or bottoms of pots, and lips and lids, as well as sometimes using the wax resist as a decorative process). If a piece requires a lining of a glaze different than that of the outside, it will be lined one day, with the outside being glazed and decorated the following day. Some of the glaze designs I have developed require several layers of glaze, oxides, more glaze, and sometimes even plant materials, which burn out during the firing to produce a small bit or trail of ash, creating a special dot or line on the final piece. Hence, some glazing processes have become more and more complicated, and I find it takes me longer and longer to glaze a load of pots. But I love the process!

Following glazing, pots are loaded into one of two gas-fired kilns, and fired to cone 9/10 reduction. Firing usually takes about 10 hours, with adjustments being made all during the process to control the temperature and atmosphere needed to achieve the desired glaze colors and textures. The cooling process takes from 30 to 50 hours, or more, depending on the kiln load. When finally cooled and unloaded from the kiln, each piece is inspected, and the bare clay parts of each piece (feet, lips, lids), are sanded smooth with sandpaper, to produce a smooth surface that will not scratch a fine tabletop. Pieces are then packed and shipped, or displayed for sale in the new Peachblow Pottery Gallery.

I hope each owner of one of my pots finds enjoyment in it, be it visual, spiritual, culinary, artistic – preferably,
a combination of all of the above!