r/Ceramics

In Ukrainian folklore, babies are "found in the cabbage." I wanted to take that literally: the child isn't found in the cabbage – it is the cabbage. The layers of leaves work as a capsule around the sleeping face, and the root gradually turns into a spine.

This was my diploma project at the Lviv National Academy of Arts (Department of Artistic Ceramics), and my biggest experiment so far in combining chamotte and porcelain in one sculpture.

Happy to answer any questions about the process!

I make ceramic soup spoons, and this batch surprised me.

The lower half of each spoon was fully dipped in glaze before firing, but after reduction firing, the glaze pulled away or burned out on both sides, leaving exposed clay-toned areas with a blue-green flowing glaze down the center.

At first I thought: “Oh no, this is a defect.”

But the more I look at them, the more they feel like little one-of-a-kind pieces. The glaze movement almost looks intentional, like a landscape or ink painting.

I’m trying to decide what to do with them:

1. Sell them as seconds
2. Keep them as samples
3. Make a small “one of a kind” series
4. Not sell them at all

Would you personally use a spoon like this?

I made these plates yesterday and then carved them. I’m thinking of painting them in underglaze and wiping it back then glazing with a celadon that will allow the carving to show through. I didn’t carve very deep and I like the “imperfect” look of how I’ve engraved them. But I’m worried they might not be deep enough to show up properly. Any comments, tips or advice please.

Coil built, low fire earthenware and glaze, and chia.

I bought a handmade ceramic mug from a pottery stall at a market. Last week, I used it for the first time to drink tea. Afterward, I noticed fine a hairline circle shape crazing across the glaze.
The cup itself doesn’t appear to be physically cracked or broken, it’s the glazed surface that has these fine lines. I can kind of feel it with my fingertips that something is uneven.

Materials used: It says the white glaze contains Snowdonia quartz and Anglesey tin, the black glaze contains Snowdonia black basalt and local iron oxide, and the copper-red glaze contains Anglesey copper.

I was told by the maker that it was safe for oven, dishwasher, microwave, freezer.

I contacted the maker over a week ago to ask whether the glaze is normal, and I’ve been trying to get a response but have been ignored, so I’m currently unable to get confirmation from the maker if this is expected.

Would anyone be able to advise if this is normal to have crazing after only one use and would it be fine to continue using it?

EDIT: I’ve now noticed that there are also fine hairline lines appearing on the glazed area at the underside/base of the mug as well, even though I haven’t used it for several days…

Thanks!

This is 'Lily of the Valley: Goddess' Tears.' I imagined a goddess breathing life into the flowers from one of her eyes.

Really excited about how this came out regardless of technical difficulties. First piece I've glazed in over a decade! Three studio glazes combined without a test tile, winging it worked out this time.

Some pinholes and a little crawling? And the glaze ran more than I expected, but I didn't expect it to turn out like that by any means and I'm so in love with it!