All posts by Daniel Bende

Designs and creates under the trade name DFB-ceramics hand-thrown stoneware figurative ceramics.
Inspiration, Personally

Kintsugi, ceramics with gold connected

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Kintsugi and handmade ceramics are connected, both literally and figuratively. Kintsugi is an ancient Japanese tradition. It literally means “golden connection” and is also called “kintsukuroi” or “gold repair”.

But there is also an aesthetic connection. Kintsugi is the artisanal repair of broken ceramics with gold. The repair is not hidden, but proudly shown.

Broken plate, handmade ceramics

I find that a nice touch. An aesthetic in line with Wabi-Sabi, the beauty of impermanence. When something is broken, don’t throw it away, but take the trouble to collect the shards and make it whole again. Not as invisible as possible. No, accentuate the scars of impermanence.

It flashed through my mind when I got a broken mug of mine returned. A mug I made about 20 years ago. Can you fix this? …

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News, Personally

Fanatics, enthusiasts and collectors: happy ceramics hunting in 2021!

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Hunting season has been opened, not a bloodthirsty but the cheerful ceramic hunt. On the hunt for new colors, shapes and objects. Looking for new techniques, materials and processes. The journey of discovery into the present, past and future.

The hunting grounds of the ceramics fanatic is not limited to the physical world, but also explores the limits of our imagination, innovation and creativity. It’s not a competition, it’s a collective study. A project of ceramics and glaze theorists, suppliers, makers, enthusiasts and collectors (and I’ll probably forget a few).

Cheerful Ceramics Hunt in 2021

The ceramics hunt is a joint task to pass our culture on to the future ceramics fanatics. I’m happy to do my bit. And I personally appreciate myself lucky that there are so many ceramics enthusiasts who support this.

I therefore wish everyone a happy ceramic hunt in 2021! (and all the years that come after that).

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Glaze, News, Opinion, Technique

The best ceramic glaze book of the year

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What is the best ceramic glaze book of this year? If you ask me, that’s “Special Effect Glazes” by Linda Bloomfield. This is the first book that explains how to analyze (special) glazes using the UMF and plotting it on the Stull Chart. The author also explains how you can do this easily: by using Glazy.org.

This is the modern way to discover the “mechanism” behind the glaze. In other words “what makes this glaze tick“. She is not the first to analyze glazes in this way. Matt Katz of Ceramic Materials Workshop in particular is the driving force behind this contemporary view. But he hasn’t (yet) written a book about it.

Ceramic Glazes Test Tiles 2

In short, as far as I am concerned , this is the book to show 21st century ceramists the way to that new manner of discovering ceramic glazes.

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News, Personally

New Ceramic Turtles Born on the wheel

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We all deserve ceramic turtles. Unique craft figurines. A happy note during the dark days before Christmas. A small present during the 2nd corona wave. At least I was ready for that. And we can always use a little ceramic friend.

Anyway, I thought it would be nice to spin some turtles on the wheel and share the process. Yes, these gouty reptiles are born on the wheel Every turtle is unique. And not only the turtle is unique, also the finish is exclusive.

Ceramic turtles terra

Curious how I make them? Then read on…

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Opinion, Personally

Glaze Chemistry is the Cure when Reality Stops

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I love glaze chemistry. The chemistry of ceramics. The chemistry of life. The chemistry of art. The chemistry between people. I love glazes. I love ceramists. I love the discussion.

Is it UMF or Segerformula? Is mole percentage, WPF or phase diagram the key to unraveling the glaze mechanisms? Looking for glaze limits or for target recipes? Does this glaze crystallize because of too little Al2O3 or too much SiO2?

The discussion is going on, tempers are running high, some are dropping out. There is a search in books and experience is looked at. Someone finds a clue, the other rejects it.

Eventually, someone will fire the glaze. The result is shared. Good or bad, it doesn’t matter. We’ll apply it. We’re adapting. This is reality.

But what happens when reality stops?

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News

The latest is out: Ceramist guide 25 years!

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The latest edition of the Ceramist Guide North-Holland is out! And it’s an anniversary edition too. So don’t miss out.

For 25 years, this guide has been outlining the diversity of all ceramists in Noord-Holland (“North-Holland” a province in the Netherlands). A handy booklet full of photos, published by the Foundation Keramisten Noord-Holland.

This year with 50 works of the participating ceramic artists. Beautifully designed by Steffie of graphic design agency ‘t Witte Huys. Carefully printed and bound by Prestess Print. It can’t be more “North Holland” than this…

Or can it?

Yes, to pick up the guides I got on my bike last week to fellow ceramist Cock of Atelier de Kruik in Ursem. First, a nice bike ride through the landscape of North-Holland. Then a nice cup of coffee. And finally, I was able to claim my share of the loot. A fresh ink-smelling pile of ceramist guides.

Noord_Holland from the bike
Share the loot?

A handy booklet with 50 photos of the latest ceramics from North Holland. Stay informed and get inspired by the diversity of all contemporary ceramics. Reader beware: texts only in Dutch( but there are a lot of pictures).

My booklets have all been sold, but they are stil available from the board of the Keramisten Noord-Holland.

Would you like to know more about 25 years of Ceramists’ Guides? Then read on…

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Opinion

Fighting for a Modern Ceramics tradition

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The modern ceramics tradition is spreading. In the eye of the storm, its path is difficult to fathom. And I feel in the mids of today’s ceramics storm. But despite the fact that my hair has been blown before my eyes, I see a new wind direction emerging. A new course that I think is worth fighting for.

Handmade cup leather hard

The new capital is the shared knowledge, worldwide. New groups unite around digital platforms such as FB, Insta, linkedIn, as well as specific sites for potters such as glazy.org. In these kinds of environments, knowledge is shared, opinions are cast and discussions are held.

In other words, culture is created. A new tradition is developing, not along bounderies of location, land borders or a supposed shared history. A new ceramics tradition: you may think so, but why would you fight?

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Inspiration, Personally

Fascinating Ceramics in Drenthe, A Potter’s Search

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Why did we look for ceramics in Drenthe? This province in the north of the Netherlands has traditionally been loved by artists. From the 18th century they came to this inspiring landscape to develop their talents. Vincent van Gogh is perhaps the best known of them.

“Drenthe is so beautiful, it absorbs and fulfils me so utterly […] oak trees of a superb bronze. Tones of golden green in the moss, of reddish or bluish or yellowish dark lilac greys in the soil, tones of inexpressible purity in the green […]”

(Vincent van Gogh, November 1883)

Looking for Ceramics in Drenthe - beautiful scenery

But what can potters and ceramics enthusiasts find in this primeval province? More than you think! Not only primordial pots, but also historic industrial plateel and contemporary artisanal ceramics.

Due to circumstances, our weekend in Drenthe in May was canceled this year. But this summer we made up for it. We went in search of the best ceramic sights.

In this blog an overview of all the fascinating places a ceramics lover should visit in Drenthe.

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Inspiration, Personally

Funnel BEAKER ceramics, pottery of giants

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Drenthe in the north of the Netherlands, is a huge treasure trove of prehistoric funnel beaker ceramics (pottery). The creators where colossal. They also built resting places for giants, now better known as hunebedden.

Hunebed D15 on the Looner es between Loon and Taarlo

In the New Stone Age –neolithic– , these hunebed builders not only erected mysterious megalithic monuments. They also made characteristic and richly decorated pottery. Nowadays known as funnel beaker or “tiefstich” (the German name) pottery.

This summer we wanted to get to know these Stone Age potters. And where better than in our primal province of Drenthe.

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Opinion

Improve your ceramics: take a graphic course

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Taking a graphic course is not a luxury for today’s ceramic artist, but a must. In this digital world, modern graphic techniques are necessary “know how“. And not only for typographers, (web) designers and other graphic designers, but for all creatives, including blogging ceramists like me.

A photo on Insta or FB, a logo or an info-graphic for a website, everything must first be designed or edited digitally. The possibilities are endless and the tools are constantly changing. I hardly saw the the forest for the trees.

Graphic Course - Basic Course IllustratorLuckily I came across the platform graphic courses a few weeks ago. A teachers initiative from the graphic sector. They offer graphic training on various software packages, such as Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, but also WordPress, MailChimp and more.

It’s a guild of graphic designers. Makers like me, but experts in contemporary graphic design. I was invited by Angelo Spiler to follow one of their top courses.

A fun and educational experience… and not only for digital design, but also for making ceramics.

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Technique

Is handmade pottery microwave safe?

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I have noticed that there is still a lot of confusion whether handmade pottery is microwave safe. Sometimes all ceramics are considered unsuitable for use in the microwave.

But rest assured, your favorite handmade cup or plate can be absolutely suitable for the microwave, provided the ware does not absorb water(!). In addition, the piece should be finished with a suitable glaze for daily use. But that is always important, not only for microwave use.

So you can use handmade pottery as you like, even in the microwave.

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Inspiration, Personally

Living with handmade ceramics

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All life is fragile, so live consciously and make it more beautiful: start living with handmade ceramics.

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, I, we, have been, confronted with the brutal facts. A lot of things are not under my control, especially the important things like chance, freedom, life and death.

What am I in control of? How I organize my life, with whom and what I surround myself. And the place where I do this is called “home.” A stick in the ground, a tent in the rain or a castle, anything can be a house. But what makes it a home and how do we make it more beautiful?Living with hand-made ceramicsJustine Riley answers this question in her latest book “Living with pottery”: handmade ceramics in your home makes everyday life magical.

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