Category Archives: News

News

Mastering Glazes with Glazy – Understand and Control Your Ceramic Surfaces

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By Daniël Bende – Dutch Ceramics Academy (Nederlandse Keramiek Opleiding)

Start: 7 December 2025 | Location: Gouda | Duration: 8 Sundays

Are you a ceramics enthusist who wants more than just creating beautiful glazes? Do you want to understand how glazes work and learn how to modify effectively?

Then the glaze course “Systematic Glaze Research with Glazy” at the Dutch Ceramics Academy is exactly what you are looking for.

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Firing, News, Technique

Solar-Powered Ceramic Firing: Bentrup SmoothPOWER

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SmoothPOWER is Bentrups solution for solar-powered ceramic firing. This summer, during a webinar from this innovative manufacturer of ceramic kiln controllers, I learned why this is so important.

Bentrup has more than 40 years of experience in developing controllers for the ceramic industry, artisan potters and ceramists. That’s why I wanted to hear about the latest technological innovations from the founder Reinhard Bentrup.

Connecting a ceramic kiln to solar energy is more complex than it seems. The solar energy generated must first be converted from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) by an inverter. The cabling must be constructed in such a way that the various components guarantee safe and efficient power transmission. This system is known as the PV (Photovoltaic) installation.

If the power from the PV system is not used directly, it can be discharged in two ways: to the electricity grid or to a home battery. But is it possible for an electric kiln to use power directly and efficiently from the PV system?

This was a question I posed to expert Reinhard Bentrup.

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Firing, News, Technique

Bentrup Superwise: a livestream of your ceramic firing

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With the new generation of Bentrup controllers, everyone can follow a ceramic firing live online: the Bentrup Superwise live stream.

Bentrup Superwise is platform-independent, so you can just as easily track your firing via your PC, laptop, tablet or mobile. But the Superwise app can do more than just live stream your ceramic firing.

It’s also an online logbook and a Swiss Army knife for your Bentrup controller. You can use the app to set and quickly adjust your personal firing programs. Also view and adjust the controller settings, receive live error messages and use the “KilnAssist”.

One of the first livestreams was of a coffee machine (Trojan Room coffee pot) in the computer lab of the University of Cambridge. In 1991, Quentin Stafford-Fraser put the webcam live. So the entire department was able to follow online whether the coffee was ready.

About ten years later, I wanted exactly the same thing, but to see if the pottery was ready. 🙂

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News

Dutch ceramics podcast: I’m making a mess of it!

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The first Dutch-language ceramics podcast has recently become a fact: “Je maakt er een potje van” (that’s Dutch for “You make a mess of it”). Merisa, the host of the podcast, has already conducted more than 20 interviews with Dutch and Belgian ceramists about their profession, vision and skills.

And I’m not the only fan of this ceramics podcast. Six months after the release of the first episode, the podcast has already passed the 15,000 download mark!

A great initiative and even more fun to be able to contribute to it….

This time Merisa and I have a great conversation about ceramics, teaching and much more. Curious? Watch our conversation on YouTube, follow the announcements on Insta and subscribe to the one and only podcast for the Dutch-speaking ceramics community.

How did I make a mess of it?

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News

We live together for a year and the little one is coming!

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Big news: the little one is coming! For more than a year I have been living with my new flame . But something was missing in our relationship… Besides my great love, I was looking for something smaller; because size certainly matters.

After in-depth conversations, we figured it out: our relationship would only survive if there was also a little one…

But how do you get a small one? We sought assistance from Keramikos. And they were able to help us immediately. There was a lot of choice, but in the end we agreed. The choice was made, the papers arranged. And Keramikos went to work for us.

And finally the time has come: we have a small Rohde 35 liter ceramic kiln, isn’t it a cutie? Together with my big flame: a 150 liter Rohde frontloading kiln, we now form a beautiful family….

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News

Ceramics Fair Maaseik 2022, ready when you are…

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Sunday 26 June is the international ceramics fair Maaseik 2022. More than 100 ceramists in the center of Maaseik. A historic city in Belgian Limburg on the river Maas.

I am ready to show my latest work to ceramics lovers. They always visit this fair in large numbers. I will surprise them with new work, unique glazes and refreshing hand-thrown ceramics.

Ceramics Fair Maaseik

I have already set my tomtom to Maaseik. Also enjoy contemporary ceramics. Come by and say hello to me at stall 49!

Ceramics Fair Maaseik 2022
Sunday 26 June
9:00 to 17:00 hours
Market (centre) Maaseik
Entrance 2 euro (from 12 years)

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News

Where do we meet? At the ceramics fair Dwingeloo 2022!

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We had to wait a while for the international ceramics fair Dwingeloo 2022. But on Thursday, May 26 from 10:00 am, all ceramics lovers can indulge themselves again. Finally!

At de Brink, the heart of Dwingeloo, under the age-old trees, about 90 ceramists show their work, some of whom give a demonstration of their methods and techniques. In almost 30 years, this ceramics fair in the north of the Netherlands has grown into a unique ceramics event.

And yes: this year I will also participate in this festival. So come and say hello!

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News

Ceramics Exhibition Warmenhuizen 2022, SKNH at Home Base

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In the weekend of 12 and 13 March 2022, the beautiful ceramics exhibition Warmenhuizen of the “Stichting Keramisten Noord-Holland” (Ceramists of North Holland, “SKNH” for intimates) will be held. This year again at home base: the Oude Ursula Church in Warmenhuizen, about 15 kilometers above Alkmaar.

Oude Ursula Church,
Dorpsstraat 93
Warmenhuizen (municipality of Schagen)
Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 March 2022
11.00 – 17.00 hrs.
Free entrance.
Info: www.keramisten-noordholland.nl

Together with twenty-five fellow ceramists, we bring contemporary handmade ceramics at a historic location. The 2022 ceramics season has started!

Are you ready to visit so many different ceramics in the northern part of Holland?

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News

Don’t forget: Ceramics Fair Dordrecht 2021 SUNDAY OCTOBER 3rd

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It is already in my agenda: Ceramics Fair Dordrecht 2021 on Sunday 3 October from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (11.00 – 17.00 hr) on Statenplein. Did you put it in yours?

Do it now and I’ll see you this Sunday at the fair, stall 8. And while you’re there, take a look at the work of my fellow ceramic artists 🙂

Ceramics Market Dordrecht 2021

It’s the 21st edition of this ceramics festival, which has grown into a tradition. A ceramics tradition to which I would like to contribute my (fired) bit.

Also a great opportunity to view, discuss and buy contemporary handmade ceramics. As a unique gift for someone special or just for yourself.

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Glaze, News, Technique

Food safe ceramics: tightened EU laws coming up

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Food safe ceramics and glazes is a complex subject. On this topic glaze technologists, toxicologists, artists, craftsmen, industrialists, lawyers and legislators meet. And I’m sure I’ve forgotten a few more. It’s also a subject I’m dealing with. Not as a glaze technologist, but as a craft entrepreneur.

A well-balanced glaze is not only durable, it is also safe for everyday use. As is my functional pottery, in EU jargon FCMs (Food Container Materials).

This means that my ceramics/glazes comply with the current EU directive ‘ceramic articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs’. But these EU laws may soon be tightened.

What are the consequences for me and other artisan potters in Europe? I had an interview about this last week by two researchers on behalf of the European Commission for Health and Food Safety.

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Clay, News, Technique

Tired of your old body? Get a new one! KBJ stoneware

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Tired of your old body? Try a new one! KBJ Stoneware, a new clay body from Valentine is more than worth a try. A few weeks ago I received a bag when I picked up my order of raw materials from my supplier Keramikos. I immediately wanted to sink my teeth into it ….. well, in a matter of speaking.

KBJ stands for Keith Brymer Jones, yes, the one from the Great Pottery Throw Down. Valentine Clays is a renowned clay producer from Stoke-On-Trent, at the heart of the English ceramics history.

Together they have developed a new “off white stoneware body” for throwing and hand forming. A clay mixed with Keith’s tears. A silky soft clay that melts under your hands, but can be fired from 1120 to 1280 C.

Rotate with Valentine KJB Stoneware Clay

Do you ever have the feeling you are ready for something new? Does your old body no longer feel like it used to? Then try a new one!

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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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