Salt firing gold sand KOM, celadon waves on toasty nude

Gold-colored sludge engulfed this bowl along with the celadon glaze. Together the colors drip over the toasty nude color of the clay from the salt firing. Different textures from metallic gold to matte and glossy glass, to crackle celadon inside. Each side shows a different interaction with the salt from this oven; smooth on one side, orange peel on the other.

This bowl is from my first salt firing and is unique, there is no second copy.

This item is fired in a gas kiln to which salt has been added during the firing. This is a traditional way of firing in which the salt causes a chemical reaction in the clay. This creates the glaze on the pot without it being applied. The firing trajectory also includes a period of reduction, which results in certain colors. Because the salt spreads unevenly throughout the oven, each side of the item is different. The sides that have an 'orange peel' on the surface have been hit a lot by the salt. The unpredictable nature of this process is what makes it so intriguing. Every firing is exciting!

This special process makes salt-fired items much more precious than electric-fired items. I have my work fired in Veghel.