Nellie - Ceramic Tray [no.102]

🜃  functional art 

This hand-built ceramic piece can be used as a cute little tray for erasers, washi tape and any other small items. You can also use it as a paint mixing tray.

🜃  earth is perfectly imperfect

Each piece created is meant to embrace imperfections, and each wobble, asymmetry, indent, and other handmade quality is intentionally preserved. Seeing earth formed by hand grounds me (no pun intended) and reminds me to celebrate my handmade process of creating art while I'm using a functional piece of art. I hope it helps to remind you to embrace your process in its entirety as well because your creative journey is so very special.

No two pieces are alike. View the full collection.

🜃  details 

measures at 5" x 5.5" x 1"
beautiful speckled matte finish

🜃 the process of this piece

Raw, wet clay was rolled out into an even slab and left to breathe for several hours until it reaches a stiff, yet moldable form, then carefully formed to an organic edge palette.

fire #1

After about 2 days, the piece was fully dry and ready for the first round of firing. It was carefully positioned in the kiln and high fired at 2200F (1204C) for 8 hours, then left in the kiln to cool for another 12 hours. This created the bisque material from the raw clay for the perfect preparation to add glaze.

glaze

After the piece's first firing, its design is planned out to determine where color and sheen is added. Once the resistant wax was applied to where glaze wouldn't be added, the glaze was mixed to a meticulous consistency that would evenly bond with the bisque material. The piece was then fully submerged into a container of the glaze.

fire #2

After the piece was glazed, it heads into the kiln again for another round. Once the second round in the kiln was complete, this beauty revealed its finished result for the first time.

sand

While the piece is "finished" after a final firing, there are finishing touches that are oftentimes missed in ceramics--the most important being a light sanding to the bottom the piece to soften the gritty texture.

After this rewarding process of playing with mud, a functional piece of art is ready for use.