Nearly every substance can be used to create a ceramic glaze: whether organic matter like ashes and earth or inorganic materials like stones and metals ground to dust or powder. Almost everything of significance in one's life can be used for a glaze: the arable soil ploughed by grandfather for a lifetime; a branch of a favourite tree; stones picked up in New Zealand; the stack of drawings made while studying art; the beloved late parakeet which should around forever... All this and much more can be transformed into a glaze and then melted onto a ceramic vessel or object.

 

The technique to produce a ceramic glaze containing organic and inorganic material is not new. On the contrary, for thousands of years minerals and ashes have been used for glaze recipes, whether as a base material like quartz or as a powdered addition to colour a glaze or to produce a certain effect.

 

The personalisation in 1280 degree is new: An object with a glaze rekindles the memory of a place, a situation, a person.

 

I have used this type of glaze for many years – mostly to coat tea cups because it creates a very direct contact between user and object.