"Juliet A Gorman Smoke-fired ceramics"

For a creative person a studio space becomes a sanctuary and the electric kiln in the corner a faithful friend in winter.

The many enjoyable hours spent creating and developing ideas, becomes almost addictive as the brain says “I wonder if”.

Clay, moulds and other materials are sorted out, all in order to allow one to create the desired piece of work. The various outside kilns, mainly dustbins, the electric kiln, the clay store and storage, are an asset.

Traditional hand building techniques are used to explore and develop ideas. I believe that there is no form/shape that cannot be produced by using basic techniques.

The making is slow, very tactile and extremely therapeutic, taking many hours, but very satisfying. Hours spent burnishing the surface of the clay allow one the opportunity to consider the whole form and appreciate it, and produces a refined surface on which to apply further surface interest..

Firing always throws up its own challenges. There is very little control, but that is the beauty of it as unexpected results occur. Pre-smokefiring, marks are made using tape, newspaper, straw, any combustible material, horsehair, crank slurry, foil etc. etc leading to a great variation in the finished piece.

The whole process is so exciting and exhilarating: the unpredictable effects of the firing a constant surprise.