@pipistrelledesign

A small but successful haul for me from the @mudworks_bristol kiln. More coming soon which will all, so long as the kiln gods smile upon me, be coming to @southbristolartstrail on 20 & 21 September. ? I'm pleased with the glaze combos of this sangria jug - wood ash with what I'm now calling raspberry ripple! I've made a few cups in this style before, I think I see a set coming on! ? The carvings on the bowl are inspired by beach footprints and the horizon at sea. The inside glaze is Spectrum Soft Red - special effect glaze isn't really my thing, but I've decided to use up some old glazes while I'm super busy at the moment. Ash glaze experiments are a little on the back burner ? ? ? ? ? ? #ceramics #ceramicart #ceramicsmagazine #ceramicreview #pottery #pottersofinstagram #instapottery #wheelthrown #limpets #ocean #sealife #environmentalart

2025-09-09

*Disclaimer - this is an arty experiment, not a how to! Always do your own research and discuss firing with your studio manager/technician! So, here I am again with my second test of the vinegar and bicarbonate of soda experiment on bone dry stoneware clay. This acid-base combo produces a chemical reaction that creates carbon dioxide (the fizz), water, and sodium acetate (the white residue). ?‍? This time I’m trying out the following oxides and glazes on the bisque fired piece (not to mention my first try at voiceover - be kind!), rather than going all in with copper oxide as I did the first time. ? A - manganese dioxide B - red iron oxide C - copper oxide D - white lava glaze E - matt white glaze F - transparent glaze The results are so interesting! I’m pleased with how the oxides look with less liberal application wiped back, the craters show through nicely.? The glazes haven’t really had much of an impact. But what’s really interesting is that in between the test areas where I didn’t apply oxide or glaze, there is a visible lava-like, shiny glaze! ? I think that where the sodium acetate was thickest, it’s fluxed and has effectively created its own glaze! It’s not what I expected at all but it’s still an interesting effect with future potential for my work.? Are you a potter that’s tried it yourself? Let me know if it worked and your results. ? ? ? ? ? #pottery #ceramics #ceramicart #modernceramics #textureobsession #instapottery #ihavethisthingwithceramics #potterystudio #ceramicreview

2025-09-05

A few pieces are on my workbench at the moment in preparation for @southbristolartstrail - 20 & 21 September at @mudworks_bristol where my studio is. Save the date if you're in the South West area, hope you can pay us a visit! Expect lots of ceramic goodness from talented makers in all its wondrous variety! ??? All of these pieces are at the biscuit firing stage, and I'm in progress with decorating forms with various oxides and glazes. The lidded jar in the first pic is a bit of a new approach for me using stains with oxides to introduce some natural looking colour. I'll be adding sea glass and scrap glass to some of the work (see the last pic) after glazing to add the final touches to these rock pools before handing over to the kiln gods. ??? ? ? ? ? ? #ceramics #ceramicart #ceramicsmagazine #pottery #potterystudio #potterywheel #pottersofinstagram #instapottery #southbristolartstrail #ihavethisthingwithceramics #modernceramics #sealife #seacreatures #rockpool #ocean

2025-09-02

Back on the grid with a little content dump from our Greek holiday this month, some much needed vitamin sea, sun and chillax. Got some unexpectedly decent snorkeling in, shame I don't have an underwater camera to share with you! ?? Plus some work in progress. The first bowl with a bit more variation in my rockpool-ware pieces as an example for students. The latter was part of my foray into throwing with black vulcan clay, beautiful but messy! I'm pleased with how the porcelain barnacles contrast. More of this to come ? ? ? ? ? ? #ceramics #pottery #potterystudio #modernceramics #ceramicart #ihavethisthingwithceramics #instapottery #sealife #ocean #coralreef #rockpool

2025-08-28

Finally I’m back with the results of my experiment with vinegar and bicarbonate of soda on bone dry stoneware! If you didn’t see the previous video, check it out. The reaction produced some fab lava like textures on the clay surface. ? *Caveat - this is an arty experiment, not a how to! Always do your own research and discuss firing with your studio manager/technician! So, to decorate, I applied a copper oxide wash after bisque… now I realise, a bit too liberally! I added some matt white highlights to some of the raised textures, which I hoped would add definition. Good job I fired on a safety plate! The reaction produces sodium acetate which I now realise is a flux, so it ran during the 1260 firing. But there are still areas of interesting textures. In fact, some of the craters have become larger and more pronounced. ? I have another piece ready to test with other glazes and oxides (in much lower quantities this time), along with areas of no decoration - which I suspect will be the most effective. Or maybe just underglazes for contrast, as I assume there would be no reaction there. ? Watch this space (and turn on notifications if you’re super keen)! Let me know your results if you've tried it yourself ?? ? ? ? ? #pottery #ceramics #ceramicart #modernceramics #instapottery #ihavethisthingwithceramics #potterystudio #ceramicreview #textureobsession

2025-07-24

Hellooo and welcome to all the newbies that have joined me recently on my creative journey. If you saw my vinegar and bicarbonate of soda experiment, I'll be sharing an update on that soon as it's now with the kiln gods! ?? In the meantime, here's the making of some example pieces that I created for my Ceramic Rock Pool Bowl workshop at @newbreweryarts over the weekend. The forms I throw on the wheel become my canvas. ? I use various methods to create my rock pool inspired pieces, like sculpting, slip work, and sprig moulds from natural objects I collect from the coast. I also carve plaster stamps to create textures of barnacles and limpets. ?? Check out the wonderful work that my students created this weekend! I can't wait to see them fired with melted glass! ?? #pottery #ceramics #ceramicart #sealife #modernceramics #modernceramics #instapottery #ihavethisthingwithceramics #potterystudio #ocean #ceramicreview #wheelthrown #thrownandaltered #potteryclass #potteryworkshop

2025-07-14

Happy solstice beautiful people! ☀️Here's today's attempt at saying something a bit poetic about my pottery inspirations and thought processes... I can't go to the beach, without taking inspiration from the forms and textures, the shapes in the landscape, the tiny creatures and patterns they create, and thinking about the forces that have shaped the earth for millennia. For me, working with clay is a way of connecting with ancient processes - pressure, water, heat, time - forces that shape the earth, shape the clay, and shape the things we make with it. It's all connected! ???⏳? I find it difficult to explain with words, and even more challenging to talk about, that's why I'm a visual artist, and clay is my language. Well done if you've read this far, and thanks and welcome to all the new people who have recently joined me on this weird journey that is Insta life! If you're an artist, I'd love to hear about your own inspirations in the comments ?? #pottery #ceramics #ceramicart #sealife #modernceramics #instapottery #ihavethisthingwithceramics #potterystudio #ocean #ceramicreview #claycrits #handmadepottery

2025-06-21

Having fun with bicarb and vinegar on greenware today, I'm loving the textures it creates and can't wait to try it on more pieces. What do you think of the effect? I'm sorry, this should have come with a trypophobia warning! ? Any other potters tried this technique before? #pottery #ceramics #ceramicart #modernceramics #sealife #textureobsession #instapottery #ihavethisthingwithceramics #potterystudio #ocean #ceramicreview

2025-06-08

Helloooo, so.... I haven't posted in absolutely ages... but thought it's about time I shared a little pic summary (piccary?) of the clay fun I've been up to, both making and teaching.? It's taken quite a bit of work on myself to build the confidence to teach ceramics and I'm so happy I took the leap last year as absolutely loving it! ? #ceramics #ceramicart #pottery #potterystudio #ihavethisthingwithceramics #claycrits #ocean #environmentalart #rockpool #tidepool #sealife #seacreatures #ceramicsmagazine #modernceramics #instapottery #fossils #ammonites #barnacles #limpets #ceramicreview #interiordesign #interiorstyling

2025-03-21