Oxford Clay

Any plant can be turned into ash that can make a pottery glaze!  In this episode, you can hear about some of the weirdest plant-based things I’ve turned into a pottery glaze from banana skins to tea bags and pond algae! All of these plant ash glazes are in the book ‘Pottery Glazing with Plant Ash’ by Oxford Clay: https://www.oxfordclay.co.uk/shop/ebooks Watch the video version of this episode...

Agromining is the practice of using plants to mine metals from the soil. In this episode we explore what agromining is, and how it could be used in the future to create eco-conscious colour in pottery. As plants grow they take up metals in the soil, and store them in their tissues. Scientists can extract these metals by harvesting the plants, drying and burning them and extracting the metals. The...

You can make a glaze from any plant ash! hear about 5 beautiful ones.  Every plant ash glaze is completely unique because of the unique mineral and trace metal composition of the ash. In this episode, you can find out about 5 of the most beautiful glazes in the book ‘Pottery Glazing with Plant Ash’ by Oxford Clay: https://www.oxfordclay.co.uk/shop/ebooks From purples and browns to light pink,...

Mixing glass and ceramics can have amazing results.  In this episode, we discuss some ways to mix glass and ceramics together for beautiful decorative effects in pots.  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 Ho...

In this episode, we talk about three barriers Potters face when seeking to make their pottery practice more eco-conscious. We discuss some great sources of information for Potters and what actions Potters can take.  The pottery materials website mentioned in this episode is: https://digitalfire.com/ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ---------------------...

Warping is at the top of the most annoying things that can happen to pottery! Often only appearing at the final stage of the making process, at the glaze firing stage! In this episode, we explore what warping is, why it happens and five top tips to prevent warping in your pots. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Po...

In pottery there are a few key hazards that it is important to protect yourself against when working with clay and glaze materials. In this episode we explore the hazards in pottery and how Potters can mitigate these hazards using some simple practices and easily available safety equipment.  Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast -----------------------------...

Have you ever wondered how pottery glazes are made?  In this episode, we go through the process of making a glaze and how to read a glaze recipe. We talk about the importance of wearing an FFP3 face mask when working with powders in pottery, how to store your glaze to prevent it from drying out and what to do if you add too much water to the recipe. If you’ve never made a glaze before, it's v...

In this episode we explore the benefits of raw glazing, and some top raw glazing tips. Raw glazing is the practice of glazing a pot before it has been bisque fired, at the greenware or leatherhard stage. Many Potters don't practice this technique because it can be tricky. However, with the right clay and glazes, this technique can save Potters the time, energy and money involved in the bisque firi...

Supermarket pottery equipment best buys. Did you know that many household items for cooking, cleaning and baking can be used for Pottery making! In this episode we explore some of my favourite items easily available from supermarkets that can be used by Potters. Non-specialist equipment Is often cheaper and easier to source than specialist pottery equipment. Of course sometimes specialist equipmen...

Pottery is usually coloured with metal oxides but these are some of the most environmentally harmful pottery materials. In this episode, we explore some environmental and social issues with metal oxides. We then talk about 3 ways Potters can colour their work in more environmentally conscious ways.  Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ---------------------...

Five top tips for avoiding the most common disasters involving plaster in pottery Plaster of Paris is such a helpful material for Potters, because it sucks the water out of clay (in a good way). Potters use a Plaster slab for reclaiming wet clay and for mould making. In a plaster mould clay shrinks allowing it to be released from the mould. Moulds can be press moulds, hump moulds or slip casting m...

Have you ever wondered whether clay is recyclable? Well the answer is both yes and no! In this episode we explore how clay can be recycled and how potters do this in a process called ‘reclaiming’. Learn about some tips for reclaiming clay as well as at what point clay can no longer be reclaimed and it has to be repurposed instead.  Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support...

Blue in ceramics is made from Cobalt Carbonate and Cobalt Oxide mined mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo. An estimated 20-30% of Cobalt is mined by artisanal miners. In this episode we talk about some issues in the Cobalt supply chain that have been researched and documented by the human rights organisation Amnesty International. We talk about some alternative ways to create colour in cera...

What damp-boxes are, why they’re great, and how to make your own!   Damp-boxes allow Potters to prevent their work from drying out so they can work on it later. They can also help to even out the dryness of pots and prevent cracking. In this episode we talk about damp-boxes, why they are great and how to make your own very easily and cheaply from a plastic storage box. Watch the video ve...

Pottery cultivates patience, persistence, resilience and learning to accept imperfection.   In this episode, we explore how by practising pottery you can also cultivate these four special characteristics.   Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Ama...

In this episode we explore the different ways in which eco-conscious principles can be applied to handmade pottery. From materials, to tools and pottery making practices, I highlight the areas in which eco-conscious choices can be made when making pottery.  Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Potter...

Did you know that the minerals in plant ashes melt into a pottery glaze when heated to very high temperatures?! In this episode, we explore plant ash glazing and how plants can be used to make pottery glazes.  Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pot...

Pottery uses energy to make, from electricity to power the wheel, lighting, and heating for the space, and of course for firing work in the kiln. In this episode, we talk about five easy ways for potters to save energy. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Fre...

In this episode, we explore the surprising ways that pottery might not be vegan and the ingredients and tools Potters need to avoid to ensure their Pottery is vegan-friendly. 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...

In this episode we explore the top four things I do when I’m not feeling creative in my pottery work. These tips have helped me ease out of creative ruts and back into periods of creative flow.  Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓...

Clay is an incredible material with completely different properties at each stage of dryness. In this episode, we explore what clay is like at each stage of dryness from slip at its most wet, all the way through to clay fired to maturity in a glaze firing. We discuss the main uses of each wonderful stage of clay.  Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------...

Water is such a precious resource and Potters need to use so much of it, from cleaning tables, equipment and hands, to using it to throw pots on the wheel. In this episode, we explore how the ‘bucket technique’ can save water and allow Potters to safely dispose of clay water without a sink trap. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------...