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Projects
This is where I share projects that I am currently working on or have completed.
I want to share the good, the bad and the ugly - what went right, what went wrong and the types of clay and glazes used. It will be close to a chronological order of my journey to learn about all things 'clay'.
Drone photo Avon River courtesy of Vicki Jones Photography https://vjp.com.au/
01
I was introduced to the wonders of pottery by my friend Andrea Hall (no relation), in February 2025. Andrea has her own studio and creates amazing work.
Guided and encouraged by Andrea, this pinch plate is the first piece of pottery that I ever made.
Glaze is 3 x brushed on Northcote Pottery Native Iris.
02
Inspired to learn more, I was lucky enough to discover Klei Studio right here in Stratford. Kylie is the founder and instructor of Klei Studio. After attending a beginners throwing course in March 2025 with the enthusiastic and very patient Kylie, I was hooked. My goal is to eventually be able to make a reasonable teapot. Klei Studio is a super friendly and encouraging place to learn about all things pottery - 5 stars.
https://www.thekleistudio.com.au/
This cup was thrown on a wheel and was meant to be round, but I made the lip too thin and decided to make it a square cup instead. Not sure of the all of the glazes or clay type except outside top glaze is 3 x Amaco Ironstone. Time to start a journal.
03
I bought myself a pottery wheel and after many hours of practice and even more hours watching Marie from Pottery Crafters and Florian Gadsby on YouTube, I eventually made enough to fill a kiln. I can't afford a kiln at this stage, but thankfully my very encouraging and supportive friend Andrea came to the rescue.
I learned a lot from the many failures while making this lot. I can't remember what glazes or clay types - I will start that journal.
04
After more practice and more YouTube I've got enough to fill another kiln. Again not my kiln but another very generous friend Meg just happens to have one.
I've decided to make a check list from 1 - 100, and when I complete 100 pieces then I think I can justify buying a kiln - maybe? I've started a journal and I'm numbering each piece to avoid confusion. I'm already up to 27.
(Not including at least 25 failures returned to the recycle tub).
05
My first tea pot thrown on a wheel. Handles are tricky so it was back to Florian Gadsby on YouTube.
I glazed this with 3 x Billabong from Fired Up Kilns. Billabong has become one of my favourite glazes but I think that I prefer the unglazed version.
06
I made these cups after I wedged a variety of left over different coloured clay together and accidently discovered marbling. It was all just one browny colour on the wheel until I started trimming, then the magic happened.
Single cup has 3 x brushed on Amaco Light Blue. Large bowl has 3 x Clear Gloss and other cups are unglazed.
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I followed this up with a marbling course with Cindy Tong at The Gippsland Art Gallery in Sale. Cindy is an outstanding role model for any aspiring potter and her ceramics are amazing. https://cindytong.com/
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07
I finally have my own kiln and it didn't cost me thousands of dollars. Once again a huge thank you to my very generous friend Meg who gave me a 320 cm Tetlow kiln in need of some repair. $1100 later and it's ready to go.
I'm keeping it simple and only have two programs so far - one for bisque firing and one for glazing. Now the fun really begins!
What a difference having a kiln makes. It's now the start of October. I've completed 157 pieces, and this playing with mud just gets better and better. Starting to get a bit experimental with form.
I need a bigger kiln! Maybe when I get to 1000 pieces?​
I copied this idea from Pinterest but can't find the artist sorry. I added the rope.
08
I realized that I haven't taken many photos of the 'bad', of which there have been many.
I have however, learned from the failures. The first pottery lesson is that a lack of patience is definitely problematic. This has been the cause of many disasters. For example: Short changing the wedging and mischievous air bubbles can create havoc when thrown on the wheel and/or in the kiln. Not giving green ware enough time to dry on the shelf before firing can blow the bottom off a large thick pot. Pulling up the walls too quickly can create thin walls and a pot that looks more like a blob fish. Opening a kiln too early can cause an otherwise very nice 'chip & dip' bowl to crack - a lot, and removing ridiculously narrow tea pot spouts from support too soon is never going to end well.
Message to me - 'Be Patient'
This pot inspired by Hennie Meyer Dancing Teapots (Pinterest)
09
I was lucky enough to attend a Minna Graham workshop at Klei Studio in Stratford. Minna was such an encouraging and skilful instructor I couldn't wait to get home to have a go at using sodium silicate to achieve a crackle effect.
Minna is obviously an incredible artist but when I checked out her website I couldn't believe the amazing variety of such stunning and interesting pieces.
I'm definitely a big fan and I can't wait to visit her Daylesford Ceramics Studio Gallery.
https://minnagrahamceramics.com.au/
Is this one too much??
10
I went to a Cindy Tong Exhibition: 2025 Carving into Clay, Bond Street Events Centre in Sale. I was inspired by Cindy's amazing work to try some 'sgraffito' which as I understand it, involves scratching through a surface to reveal a lower layer of a contrasting colour. If you want to see some really awesome sgraffito then check out Cindy's work. https://cindytong.com/
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My effort involved throwing this pot with Northcote Pottery Grey midfire clay, coating it with a granite slip, and then waiting until it was leather hard before carving. A bisque fire and then a clear matt glaze.
11
My first attempt at getting free clay - but will it work?
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1. Find some clay
2. Dig it up
3. Fill a tub
4. Add water
5. Mix it up
6. Course filter
7. Fine filter
8. Let it settle and pour off excess water (or skip and go to 9).
9. Drain water through pillow case
10. Finally let clay dry out on an old art canvas until ready to wedge
Relax by the beautiful Avon River in Stratford Victoria while you wait.
12
The wild clay is taking quite a few days to dry so while I'm waiting I made some bowls and experimented with a few new glazes.
Still working on my crackle technique.
Chris' Light Speckle clay with 3 x Walker Water's Edge on the inside and
2 x Amaco Dark Star (lightly wiped off) on the outside.
My friend Tracey suggested that I should check out bubble glazing, and once again YouTube's Marie from Pottery Crafters helped me out.
Walker glazes on porcelain = 3 x Turquiose Green on the inside and 2 x Salmon Pink and bubbled with Deep Harbour on the outside. Perfect for my green tea.​
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Quick update: I've been kiln-less for a few weeks. Fortunately Brad came to the rescue and replaced the old element in my kiln for a new heavy duty one, just in time for me to start making some Christmas presents!! Brad is the CEO and Founder of Artistic Imports and an expert supplier and fixer of kilns, and pottery wheels.
13
Working with the wild clay was surprisingly good. It stayed elastic and soft throughout hand building and throwing, with no crumbling or cracking. All of the wild clay bowls and cups survived the bisque firing but two of the four plates cracked. :(
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Bowl on the right was on the top shelf of the kiln which could have resulted in the different colour?
Now for the glazing.
14
Back from the glaze firing - all good. My wild clay has definitely turned my glazes to the 'dark side'. The lighter glazes have also come out darker than they usually do, even when used on other dark commercial clays.
I'll experiment some more with the remaining unglazed wild clay bowls and plates.
15
One of Malcolm's smaller wood fired kilns. He has generously offered to advise me on how to build one of my own.
I just got back from a visit to Malcolm Boyd's incredible pottery studio 455 Fernbank - Glenadale Road Fernbank where his outstanding pottery is on display and for sale. For over 30 years, buyers of his work reads like a who's who of famous personalities and his pottery is regularly exhibited in Australian and international galleries.
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Malcolm uses clays collected from dam banks on his Fernbank property. His pottery creations are thrown on a wheel or hand built using moulding, coiling, slabbing, and modelling techniques. His works are high temperature fired (1300C) in wood fired kilns that Malcolm has designed and built himself. This high temperature allows some of the ancient oriental glazes that Malcolm recreates, to mature. His works spend at least 20 hours in these wood fired kilns and result in the beautiful and original works of art of which Malcolm is renowned.
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Examples of Malcolm's work can be found at
Happy New Year 2026
Fresh out of the kiln.
Left to right = Walker's Sky Blue x 3,
Walker's Clear Gloss over marbled clay x 3 and Walker's Water's Edge x 3
Walker's Clear Gloss over marbled clay x 3, Walker's Sky Blue x 2 over Deep Harbour x 1 and Fired Up Kilns Koala x 3
11/01/2026
Another 18.5 kg of wild clay to play with!!
Turning stuff that I won't use into something else.
Experimenting with shapes.
