February 2024

I thought it would be good to show the journey involved in making a Moon Jar. The pot is created using two bowl forms joined together and finished on the wheel. Firstly the bowls are turned to create foot rings which will then be finished at the final stage.

The bowls are then joined together to make the basic moon shape. A sausage of clay is worked into the area where the pots join to ensure a good bond. The pot is then returned to the wheel for the finishing process which involves removing the excess clay and then smoothing the surface. At this point the hole is made for the top of the vase and shaped whilst the pot rests in a chuck to keep it steady. The finished pot is then dried slowly to prevent cracking and then biscuit fired. After the first firing, the layers of glaze and oxides are applied and the pot is returned to the kiln for the stoneware glaze firing at 1280 degrees.