A new-found medium: porcelain clay

Until recently, I had never worked with porcelain clay. Having discovered it, I now absolutely love it! It produces pieces in the purest white – translucent under light – that are both delicate and strong.

Working with porcelain comes with its challenges. The particles are so fine – almost like cornflour. Working the clay, rolling and pressing it into shapes, it quickly dries and crumbles as the heat from your hands draws the water from it. Each piece requires further smoothing with a damp sponge to ensure fine dry cracking is smoothed over. The clay is difficult to wedge when trying to ensure no air is trapped, when preparing it for rolling or throwing. Inevitable some air is trapped as seen in the hand made and wheel thrown pieces below. I have never detected bubbles, during making and nor after the first firing (low temperature bisque), but clearly after the extra heat of the glaze firing temperatures, rise from the pots clearly. The plasticity of the clay seems to allow a stretch and the glaze acts like a skin, saving them from bursting. I rather like this development, giving the ceramic an extra aesthetic. 

I find throwing this clay  another challenge as the surface clay, quickly turns to cream. Imagine throwing with cream! I try to continue the wedge  when centring hoping to expel air.  I use minimal water to keep it moving as I make the form. Too much and I would be left with a very creamy slurry and no pot.   In recent forms I like, the contrast with a transparent glaze and unglazed surfaces, and the colbalt blue underglaze with a transparent glaze on top.

So far, I have been using porcelain to create wheel-thrown and hand-built vases; small salt and pepper table pots with spoons; and fine bowls. Pendants and earrings made with porcelain are particularly beautiful.