Oxford Clay

There are so many different types of clay out there. How do you know which one to use for your pottery? Join me for this episode, where I talk you through some different things to think about when picking your clay to make your beautiful pottery! Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Book...

Packing a pottery kiln may seem like a tricky task, however, it's really very simple! Join me for this episode where I talk you through how I pack my electric kiln for a bisque and a glaze stoneware firing. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Gui...

There are many things that are normally thrown away that can actually be made into a pottery glaze! In this episode, I tell you about a stoneware pottery glaze I’ve made by collecting tomato stalks from vine tomatoes bought at the supermarket over a period of six months. Of course, you could use tomato stalks you’ve grown yourself, too! Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support...

Some Potters wash or rinse ash before making ash glazes in pottery; however, do you really need to do this?! Join me in this episode some key points regarding the debate in pottery as to whether to wash ash or not for pottery glazing. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available...

If you’ve ever wondered how pottery glazes are made, this episode is for you! In this episode of the podcast, I talk you through how to make a pottery glaze from start to finish, from where to find a recipe, how to get the ingredients to weighing them out, mixing them together and finally sieving and storing the glaze. The free glaze-making guide mentioned in this episode is here. The glaze recipe...

In this episode, I tell you about eight of the most important things I’ve learned from years of making pots on the pottery wheel. Take what resonates in this episode and leave what doesn’t. ✨Do it your way that feels right for your body. ✨Wedge or knead your clay really well before making anything - this will help to centre the clay. ✨Anchor your arms on the wheel basin as you need a strong sta...

Pottery classes are wonderful and can be used in different ways according to what you want to achieve! Join me for this episode of the podcast, where I talk about three ways to use pottery classes. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 D...

Have you ever wondered how a pottery glaze is made from plant ashes?! Join me for this episode of the podcast where I talk to you about how pottery glazes are made from plant ashes - from start to finish! Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guide...

Ash glazes in pottery have been used for thousands of years and can create beautiful effects. Join me for this episode of the podcast, where I talk about some places to find Ash for Ash glazing in pottery. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guid...

Firing an electric pottery kiln is one of the most energy-intensive parts of making ceramics. But there are ways to make Kiln firings more efficient. Join me for this episode of the podcast, where I tell you about some things I think about when firing a pottery kiln to maximise its efficiency. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast -------------------------------...

It can be difficult to find large brushes for pottery glazing that are vegan. Synthetic makeup brushes provide a fantastic alternative! Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitabl...

Join me for this episode where I talk to you about some great ways of cutting clay! Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to progra...

Learning how to make pottery on the potters wheel can be quite a frustrating process! I’m still learning all the time, and these mindset shifts have really helped me: ⭐ There's no ‘right’ way - your way is the right way! Trust your body to make pottery the way that feels good to you. ⭐Making pottery is a creative process. You don't have to make pottery ‘perfectly’. There are opportunities to con...

In this mini-episode, we’ll be talking about a great way to hold small slip casting moulds together…with a jersey hairband! Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginn...

Join me for the final episode in the making a raw-glazed mug on the potter’s wheel series! In this episode we’ll be talking about how to fire an electric pottery kiln. We’ll discuss the stoneware glaze kiln firing schedule, including ramp speed and soak time at the maximum temperature of 1260 °C. I talk about the duration of a stoneware glaze firing and describe the various stages of the kiln firi...

We’ve glazed our mug and now it's ready to fire! In this episode, I show you how to load or ‘pack’ an electric pottery kiln, including our mug, of course.  I’ll talk you through the kinds of things I think about when loading a kiln for a glaze firing. Such as checking the base of each pot for glaze residue, where to place each item and how to use kiln props and kiln shelves. All these episode...

Following on from last week's episode of the podcast, where we made a stoneware glaze suitable for raw glazing, join me for this episode, where I apply the glaze to the mug! Raw glazing is similar to glazing bisqueware pottery, but greater care needs to be taken not to over-wet the greenware, or it will disintegrate your beautiful pot! I talk you through how I glaze my bone-dry mug - (mostly caref...

Join me for an exciting episode on the podcast this week, where I talk you through making a stoneware pottery glaze from start to finish! If you’ve ever wondered how to make a pottery glaze suitable for raw glazing, this episode is for you! The glaze in this episode can be applied directly to greenware pottery and fired straight up to stoneware temperatures - a pottery technique known as ‘raw glaz...

In this episode, I tell you about an easy way to create a perfectly flat base (or rim!) for your pottery using just a tea towel, a flat surface and some water. We also talk about maker’s marks in pottery and the importance of these in claiming your beautiful pottery and your creativity! All these episodes can be viewed as videos in the ‘How to Make a Raw-Glazed Mug on the Potter’s Wheel’ YouTube p...

Attaching a handle is a critical step in making a mug because if the handle cracks off when drying, it's very challenging (some might say impossible!) to re-attach.  Join me for this episode, where I attach the handle we made in episode 102 to the mug. I'll talk you through just how to attach a mug handle without the dreaded cracking!  All these episodes can be viewed as videos in the ‘H...

Turning (also known as trimming) the base of a pot involves turning the pot upside down on the pottery wheel and carving a foot with a turning tool (or tools!). Turning / trimming is a great way to create a beautiful finish to the base of a pot. Join me for this episode where I turn the base of the mug and talk you through exactly how I’m doing it!  All these episodes can be viewed as videos...

If you’ve ever wondered how to ‘pull’ a handle in pottery, this episode is for you! Welcome to the third episode of the How to Make a Raw-Glazed Mug on the Potter’s Wheel series, where we’ll be talking about how to ‘pull’ handles.  I talk through the things I think about when pulling handles, and we’ll pull two handles live on this episode.   ✨ The importance of wedging (also known...

Welcome to the second episode of the How to Make a Raw-Glazed Mug on the Potter’s Wheel series! In this episode, we’ll actually be making our mug on the Potter’s wheel! I talk you through the different stages of making a pot on the potter’s wheel and the different speeds the wheel needs to go at for each stage. We’ll also cover the importance of using water and anchoring your arms when making pott...

Welcome to the first episode of the How to Make a Raw-Glazed Mug on the Potter’s Wheel series!  In this episode, I’ll talk you through the things I think about to prepare to make a pot on the electric potter’s wheel, such as:  ✨The size of pot to make. ✨The type of clay to use. ✨The importance of wedging (also known as kneading) the clay before making anything on the potter’s wheel.&n...

To celebrate 100 episodes of the Oxford Clay Pottery Podcast, I’ve created a special series on making a raw-glazed mug, hand-thrown on the potter’s wheel! Raw glazing is where a pot is fired in a glaze firing without being bisque-fired first. Join me for 10 episodes in this series covering each part of the raw-glazed mug-making process: ✨ 1. How to Prepare to Make a Pot on the Potter's Wheel (Pod...