Ceramic dish made with hydrangea flower and leaf imprints in clay, satisfying pottery #vuvuceramics

Flower Do you know why some hydrangeas are pink and others are blue or purple? It’s all in the soil. Here in Southern California Do you know why some hydrangeas are pink and others are blue or purple? It’s all in the soil. Here in Southern California we have very alkaline soil, so hydrangeas are typically very pink. In more acidic soils they are typically blue. Hydrangea has a beautiful texture, especially the leaf, and the impression in clay is quite detailed. This ceramic dish is sculpted from stoneware clay that will require firing in a kiln for full maturity of the clay and surface glaze. Once dry, the ceramic dish will be fired three times, once for bisque after which it is painted and glazed, a second firing for the glossy glaze, and a final firing to add the accent of real 22kt gold on the edge. The first two firings will each take all day long and another 24 hours for the kiln to cool down. The glaze firing is the hottest at over 2200°F/1200°C and at those temperature the clay will vitrify and the glaze will become a thin coating of glass. Beautiful. I’m often asked how to make the kind of art I make without a kiln. I would suggest to try this with air dry clay and then I would suggest painting with watercolors or diluted acrylic paints and sealing with a glossy clear acrylic or epoxy resin. It’s hard to compare air dry clays to kiln fired glazed ceramics - it simply won’t look the same, but I think it can be lovely too. #ceramics #handmadeart #hydrangea #artprocess #flowerart #craftideas