zziee ceramics

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The air quality during these unprecedented fires has kept me from my garden for days and days. I finally could not take it anymore and left for the fresh air of the desert. During my visit to Yucca Valley, my daughter treated me to a tour of her ceramics studio. She has been making pottery for five years and watching her learn and grow during this time has been a joy.

Standing in her garage workroom, my eyes skipped around from object to object. Colors, textures, dangerous looking equipment, labeled test tiles, caution signs, hot kilns. I could not resist pulling out my cellphone and snapping a few pictures. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them.

glazes and ceramics, zziee ceramics
Glazes, mugs, and miscellaneous ceramics

Infinite variables and combinations

I was especially struck by the seemingly infinite number of variables and combinations that go into pottery making. There are different types of clay, different ways to shape them, different glazes that combine with each clay differently, different ways to fire them, and on and on.

clay, zziee ceramics
50 lb. boxes of clay, some red, some white, some speckled…
zziee ceramics
Test tiles, different types of clay with different glazes applied thickly or thinly

Each mug and its handle is shaped individually; each piece is unique.

ceramics, zziee ceramics
Colors, patterns and textures, each one unique

Equipment, tools and supplies

Then there’s the equipment, a wheel, two kilns, and lots of tools. The process is involved and tricky. Things get hot, very hot, tools are sharp, clay is dusty, and chemicals are hazardous.

zziee ceramics
So many things can go wrong
zziee ceramics
This kiln may be idle now but the potter is rarely so
kiln parts, zziee ceramics
These kiln thermocouples were recently replaced

Experiments sometimes work and sometimes don’t

ceramics, zziee ceramics
Experiments don’t always work, that’s why they are experiments

But lots of times experimentation results in interesting textures, colors and patterns.

test tiles, zziee ceramics
Newly tested glazes on different types of clay
Incense holders, zziee ceramics
Black incense holders
ceramics, zziee ceramics
Love the blob vases
vases, zziee ceramics
Ahh. So clean, so simple

Glazing a blob vase

But you never know how things will go, as shown in this video and followup photo. But they sure do go well sometimes!! Guess knowing what you are doing helps.

Get your own one-of-a-kind

You can get your own one-of-a-kind pieces to caress with your eyes and your fingers, like the bowls below that I purchased from zzieeceramics. I was so taken with these bowls that I just had to clean off the counters (first time in quite a while!) to get this picture. Please, note, however, these are custom bowls, sized slightly larger than the small bowls on the website. The dimensions are specified for all pieces, so please check carefully to make sure you get what you want.

cereal bowls, zziee ceramics
I can’t wait to have granola in one of these beautiful green bowls

Thank you, Lizzie, for both the beautiful ceramics, and for letting me follow as you master your art.

zziee ceramics
You’ve come a long way since you started as a young child back in 2001

2 thoughts on “zziee ceramics

  1. Melanie Cross

    Your daughter is very accomplished – I say that as a former potter who was intrepid enough to learn to fire a large gas fired kiln when i was in my 20s. Now in my 70s I admire the work of others — and garden passionately!

    • weedingwildsuburbia

      Just realized that I missed a few comments. Sorry! Thank you Melanie. My daughter works hard, which makes me very proud. I too admire both artistic and gardening accomplishments. Creating things from the earth is satisfying!

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