Category Archives: Personally

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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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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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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Inspiration, Personally

Hand building ceramics is a men’s job

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The scientific evidence has been provided, hand building ceramics cannot be left to women, that’s a real man’s job! At least that was the case 4,700 years ago in present-day Israel, according to a recent study at the University of Winnipeg.

Science is fantastic, ideas are constantly changing; progressive insight. A few years ago it turned out that hand stencils in caves from about 64,000 years ago were not made by men, but mainly by women. Now it seems that hand-forming clay pots wasn’t something  women did when men were running after a mammoth.

So you modern men, it’s time to get from behind your potter’s wheel and grab clay directly with your bare hands. Hand building ceramics is the new hunting.

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Personally

The devil is in the ceramic details

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Handmade ceramics are all about details. The ceramic connoisseur carefully examines each piece of pottery that appeals. Looking, feeling, if possible pick up and turn around. How is the foot turned, does lip match finish, finish match shape, etc. etc.

handmade coffee afters outsidecoffee cup in hand, notice the ceramic detailsIt’s now week six in our corona lock-down. The news is about numbers of victims, IC beds, respiratory care and protective equipment. I work at home and embrace the guidelines. Ceramic fairs have been cancelled, so I opened my webshop. Everyone has to help contain this virus, so I am also doing my (tiny) bit.

Ceramic details are far away, it seems like something from before this pandemic. But as the saying goes; “the devil is in the details“. And this devil helps us appreciate the details. And that’s needed more than ever. Continue reading The devil is in the ceramic details →

Inspiration, Personally

A ceramic bird in the hand

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A ceramic bird is a symbol of freedom captured in stoneware.

A contradictio in terminis? I don’t think so, but I’m a ceramist with a soft spot for ceramics and birds.

In my opinion, clay, birds, ceramics and freedom are inextricably linked. And I’m not alone. Ceramic birds are a popular subject of artists and ceramists of all time.

Better A Bird In The HandI’d like to take you this new spring into my world of thoughts and birds .

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Inspiration, Personally

Pottery Podcasts that every potter should know

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What are the best pottery podcasts right now? Well that’s argumentative , but I will share my favorite podcasts with you.

Spoiler alert: they are all American podcasts. I listen to Dutch, German and English podcasts, but at the moment I only know  podcasts about pottery and ceramics in the English language.

Why now a blog about pottery podcasts? Because in the current corona crisis it is good to also focus on other things. Stay tuned on the advice of of your government (RIVM in the Netherlands) to prevent the spread of the virus. When you’ve done that (and keep doing that) then there’s time for other things!

And what better way to spend your time than listening to podcasts about pottery, ceramics and ceramists around the world? If you are not yet a frequent listener of pottery podcasts, now is the time to start…

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Opinion, Personally

Don’t panic: Online Ceramics and the Coronavirus

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The coronavirus has taken over the world, including that of online ceramics. My mailbox is overflowing with cancellations. In the US, the international ceramics festival NCECA has been cancelled, many museums in Europe are closed and cultural life has also been paused in my neck of the woods, the Netherlands.

I find it a strange sensation, when I wake up I hear the birds singing in the garden. The dunnock  is whistling at the top of his lungs until he is chased away by a screaming robin. The blackbird does not bother and  cheerfully sings uninterrupted on top of my roof. Spring has begun!

No Panic Galactic AdviceBut the streets are quiet, the shelves empty in the supermarket. I notice that it also influenced my work ethics.. and not in a good way.

How do you break from this negative spiral? Just go back to work and follow transgalactic advice!

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Inspiration, Personally

My inspiration: the letters of Vincent van Gogh

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“Dear Theo”, the first words Vincent van Gogh  wrote to his brother in 1872. An iconic correspondence followed that would come to an abrupt end in 1890. In 819 letters we get a unique glimpse into the thoughts of this world famous painter.

“In order to do good work you have to eat well, be well housed, have a screw from time to time, smoke your pipe and drink your coffee in peace.” (Vincent van Gogh, 1888)

Self-portrait Vincent van Gogh
Self-portrait Vincent van Gogh (1887) Van Gogh Museum

Now almost 150 years later, Vincent’s letters are as current, comforting and inspiring as when they were written. I can fully confirm Vincent’s advice… well, almost …

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Inspiration, Personally

The ceramic color mystery

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Ceramic colors are a mystery, magical, dangerous and elusive. A battle between ceramist and Gaia. A battle every mortal is doomed to lose…

It has historical, cultural and technical aspects. Scientists, philosophers, psychologists and artists all have bitten off more than they could chew. Many books have been written about color, but the truth is still elusive.

Keramiek Kleuren mysterieIn other words, colors are a fascinating phenomenon.

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