Clay dug from the ground with my own hands, cleaned, shaped and fired. Glazed using those same clays and other local materials. Heritage and family given shape. Unique items with unique history.
Unlike most potter’s, who get their start taking classes at a local studio, I started by looking at my local clay and asking “Can I make stuff from this?”
I started researching and reading everything I could find on using dug clays to produce pottery. I made a few small pinch pots and started looking for a wheel and kiln. It took a year to find a kiln and wheel I could afford. That was the easy part.
Since the nearest studio that offered classes was over an hour away, I bought a book by Simon Leach, watched youtube videos, joined a wonderful group on facebook called “Clay Buddies”, and practiced. I studied the Digitalfire.com website voraciously and began an extensive process of clay testing. Since clays from different locations, fire at different temperatures, I had no idea what type of clay I had. I started firing test samples at cone 2 and increased the temperature each firing. I fired progressively higher until I reached cone 8 (2300F), the max temperature for my kiln. The clay was still too porous for functional ware. I needed a flux. So, I added a nepheline syenite (a naturally occurring igneous rock) to the clay body and started testing again. After many test firings, this finally resulted in a cone 6 stoneware, but the process continues. There is always room for improvement. I am currently firing at cone 9 in an effort to reduce the materials I have to buy and have shipped.
Why go to all this effort when bought clays and colorants are fairly cheap and easily obtained? It’s a connection to land. This land has been home to 5 generations of my husbands’ family. It’s a connection to God, the land, and family that feeds my soul and creative process.
I hope my work feeds your spirit as well.
If you like traditional, handcrafted bead work, please check out my sister-in-law, registered Choctaw artist Twaila Wiley at Choctaw Creations.
