My Nerikomi Process
Nerikomi is a complex technique that takes time and has many stages. The first stage is to prepare a range of coloured porcelains. The colours are added using ceramic stains and metal oxides, these are carefully blended into the soft porcelain. The coloured porcelains are then layered together to form a block, making sure the colours are well joined to each other and that I have not captured any air bubbles. You have to imagine the image inside the block and lay the colours on carefully, hoping that you have created the picture that you are after.
I rest the block once I have built it for at least a week, so that it can equalise moisture and consolidate as one piece of clay rather than many small pieces. Once the block is ready, I take a slice of the block and get my first glimpse of the pattern. I carefully clean the slice on both sides as the will colours bleed into each other. I then use the cleaned slices of patterned porcelain to create dishes, vases and jewellery.
Slow and even drying is essential as uneven drying will cause cracks, especially along the joints between the coloured porcelains. Porcelain also has a strong tendency to warp, careful handling and drying helps with this. It usually takes at least 2-3 weeks before the pieces are dry enough for their first firing.
The first, or bisque firing, takes the pieces up to about 1000 degrees Celsius. One fired, they are thoroughly sanded with wet and dry sandpaper to ensure that all each colour is crisply defined and clean. I then glaze and fire the pieces to 1280 degrees Celsius. I only glaze the inside of my vases and lampshades. The outsides are polished to a soft sheen after they are fully fired. It is only once the prices are fully fired that you can see exactly what you have , as the colours change significantly in the heat and the porcelain becomes translucent. My nerikomi earrings and decorations are not glazed but are carefully polished so they feel lovely to the touch.
Inspired by the spotted gum forests of the South Coast of NSW. Winner of the Surface Decoration Prize at Canberra Potters 2023.
My jewellery is made from hand coloured porcelain, layered together to create patterns. The porcelain is left unglazed and is polished to a soft shine. The earrings have sterling silver components and the brooches have steel pins.
This range of functional ware draws inspiration from the colours and textures of the Australian bush, using soft dusty pinks, greens, greys and browns. The glazes are soft and buttery to the touch, the forms are moulded to fit the human hand.
These works are all made on the potter’s wheel. The process of wheel throwing compresses the clay as it is formed, this makes the vessel stronger. All works are high fired (to 1280 Celsius) and are fully vitrified. this makes them strong, durable and dishwasher safe.
I do love the look and feel of a speckled clay, these clays interact so delightfully with glazes, layering textures and colours. I like to leave a portion of the piece polished and unglazed so that you can experience the full beauty of the clay. All the pieces in this range are dishwater safe.
These works are a response to the infamous Great Toilet Paper Panic of 2020, when toilet paper became the most prized and scarce commodity.
The works in this series are made by layering toilet paper with with liquid porcelain slip. They are fired to 1280 degrees Celsius, the paper burns away leaving behind a delicate and translucent texture in the porcelain.
