Love Birds Vase is 26x16 cm and handmade using coiled stoneware clay.
 
The shape is built up over time as the lower coils need firming up before I continue with the next coil. Otherwise the piece will distort.
 
When I am satisfied with the shape, all the detail is hand modelled and added. This is a wonderful part of the process when the vase comes to life.
 
Depending on the climate and time of year and size of product, the work is left to dry for 1 - 4 weeks. When fully dry it goes through a bique firing, then gets glazed in a white shiny stoneware glaze and fired for the 2nd time.
 
After this the shiny colourful glazes are painted on by hand and I make these glazes up from a base powder, adding different % of oxides and colour stains to achieve my unique colourful finish. Then I fire the kiln for the 3rd and hopefully last time, if I am happy with the result. 
 
The final result is a unique, very tactile and colourful work of art that is useful and waterproof too.