Oxford Clay

Katherine Tomlinson

Chats about pottery with an environmental focus. Tune in for pottery tips and a discussion of issues in the handmade pottery industry today. Oxford Clay creates resources for Potters seeking a more environmentally friendly pottery practice.

Oxford Clay website: www.oxfordclay.co.uk

Subscribe Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

125 episodes
Updated July 26

Episodes125

Newest first

Apr 16, 2023
25. 5 Things To Try When Your Pot Goes Wrong
Ever had one of those times where every pot you try and make goes wrong?! Here’s what to do next. Making pottery involves a lot of trial and error, testing and ‘failing’ and there are times when it feels like everything you're trying to make is going wrong! Whilst it may feel disappointing, these are actually the times when you are learning and growing your skills the most. You are at your growth edge pushing the boundaries of your skills and experience with clay. But what can you do with your pot when it doesn't turn out the way you want it? Well, actually, there are loads of things! In this episode, we discuss 5 things you can do when the pot you're making on the wheel isn't turning out the way you wanted it, and what to do next. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Apr 9, 2023
24. 7 Ways to Find Pottery Glaze Recipes
There are so many amazing sources of pottery glaze recipes out there for Potters, but how do Potters actually find pottery glaze recipes? In this episode, we explore seven fantastic ways for Potters to find pottery glaze recipes. 17 simple glaze recipes are detailed in this book by Oxford Clay: https://www.oxfordclay.co.uk/shop/p/eco-consciouspotteryglazingebook The glaze recipe website mentioned in this episode is: https://glazy.org/ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Mar 26, 2023
23. 5 Of The Weirdest Things I’ve Made into a Pottery Glaze
Any plant can be turned into ash that can make a pottery glaze! In this episode, you can hear about some of the weirdest plant-based things I’ve turned into a pottery glaze from banana skins to tea bags and pond algae! All of these plant ash glazes are in the book ‘Pottery Glazing with Plant Ash’ by Oxford Clay: https://www.oxfordclay.co.uk/shop/ebooks Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Mar 12, 2023
22. Agromining Metals: The Future Of Pottery Colour?
Agromining is the practice of using plants to mine metals from the soil. In this episode we explore what agromining is, and how it could be used in the future to create eco-conscious colour in pottery. As plants grow they take up metals in the soil, and store them in their tissues. Scientists can extract these metals by harvesting the plants, drying and burning them and extracting the metals. The hyperaccumulator plants used in agromining can also be used to decontaminate polluted soil. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Feb 26, 2023
21. 5 Beautiful Glazes Made with Plants
You can make a glaze from any plant ash! hear about 5 beautiful ones. Every plant ash glaze is completely unique because of the unique mineral and trace metal composition of the ash. In this episode, you can find out about 5 of the most beautiful glazes in the book ‘Pottery Glazing with Plant Ash’ by Oxford Clay: https://www.oxfordclay.co.uk/shop/ebooks From purples and browns to light pink, blue and white, plant ash glazes can naturally produce many beautiful colours in pottery. The Glaze Recipe used in this episode is: Cornish Stone - 40 Parts Plant Ash - 40 Parts Quartz - 20 Parts Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Feb 12, 2023
20. Using Glass in Pottery
Mixing glass and ceramics can have amazing results. In this episode, we discuss some ways to mix glass and ceramics together for beautiful decorative effects in pots. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Jan 29, 2023
19. Barriers to Eco-conscious Pottery and Actions Potters Can Take
In this episode, we talk about three barriers Potters face when seeking to make their pottery practice more eco-conscious. We discuss some great sources of information for Potters and what actions Potters can take. The pottery materials website mentioned in this episode is: https://digitalfire.com/ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) -----------------------------------
Jan 15, 2023
18. Warping in Pottery 5 Tips to Avoid it
Warping is at the top of the most annoying things that can happen to pottery! Often only appearing at the final stage of the making process, at the glaze firing stage! In this episode, we explore what warping is, why it happens and five top tips to prevent warping in your pots. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Jan 1, 2023
17. How To Stay Safe In Pottery
In pottery there are a few key hazards that it is important to protect yourself against when working with clay and glaze materials. In this episode we explore the hazards in pottery and how Potters can mitigate these hazards using some simple practices and easily available safety equipment. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Dec 18, 2022
16. How to make a Pottery Glaze and Read a Glaze Recipe
Have you ever wondered how pottery glazes are made? In this episode, we go through the process of making a glaze and how to read a glaze recipe. We talk about the importance of wearing an FFP3 face mask when working with powders in pottery, how to store your glaze to prevent it from drying out and what to do if you add too much water to the recipe. If you’ve never made a glaze before, it's very simple and you can do it! Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Dec 11, 2022
15. What is Raw Glazing?
In this episode we explore the benefits of raw glazing, and some top raw glazing tips. Raw glazing is the practice of glazing a pot before it has been bisque fired, at the greenware or leatherhard stage. Many Potters don't practice this technique because it can be tricky. However, with the right clay and glazes, this technique can save Potters the time, energy and money involved in the bisque firing. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Dec 4, 2022
14. Pottery Equipment from the Supermarket
Supermarket pottery equipment best buys. Did you know that many household items for cooking, cleaning and baking can be used for Pottery making! In this episode we explore some of my favourite items easily available from supermarkets that can be used by Potters. Non-specialist equipment Is often cheaper and easier to source than specialist pottery equipment. Of course sometimes specialist equipment is needed but there is also great equipment available from the supermarket! Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) -----------------------------------
Nov 27, 2022
13. How to Create Eco-conscious Pottery Colour
Pottery is usually coloured with metal oxides but these are some of the most environmentally harmful pottery materials. In this episode, we explore some environmental and social issues with metal oxides. We then talk about 3 ways Potters can colour their work in more environmentally conscious ways. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Nov 20, 2022
12. 5 Tips for Avoiding Plaster Disaster
Five top tips for avoiding the most common disasters involving plaster in pottery Plaster of Paris is such a helpful material for Potters, because it sucks the water out of clay (in a good way). Potters use a Plaster slab for reclaiming wet clay and for mould making. In a plaster mould clay shrinks allowing it to be released from the mould. Moulds can be press moulds, hump moulds or slip casting moulds. But Plaster can also be tricky to work with. In this episode we explore five plaster disasters to avoid when working with plaster (all of which have happened to me, apart from the blocking the pipes one!). Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Nov 13, 2022
11. Can You Recycle Clay?
Have you ever wondered whether clay is recyclable? Well the answer is both yes and no! In this episode we explore how clay can be recycled and how potters do this in a process called ‘reclaiming’. Learn about some tips for reclaiming clay as well as at what point clay can no longer be reclaimed and it has to be repurposed instead. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) -----------------------------------
Nov 6, 2022
10. The Problem With The Colour Blue In Pottery
Blue in ceramics is made from Cobalt Carbonate and Cobalt Oxide mined mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo. An estimated 20-30% of Cobalt is mined by artisanal miners. In this episode we talk about some issues in the Cobalt supply chain that have been researched and documented by the human rights organisation Amnesty International. We talk about some alternative ways to create colour in ceramics. The report from Amnesty International mentioned in this episode is called ‘This is What we Die for’: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr62/3183/2016/en/ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Oct 30, 2022
9. The Magic of a Damp-box
What damp-boxes are, why they’re great, and how to make your own! Damp-boxes allow Potters to prevent their work from drying out so they can work on it later. They can also help to even out the dryness of pots and prevent cracking. In this episode we talk about damp-boxes, why they are great and how to make your own very easily and cheaply from a plastic storage box. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Oct 23, 2022
8. Four Special Things Cultivated by Pottery
Pottery cultivates patience, persistence, resilience and learning to accept imperfection. In this episode, we explore how by practising pottery you can also cultivate these four special characteristics. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Oct 16, 2022
7. What is Eco-conscious Pottery?
In this episode we explore the different ways in which eco-conscious principles can be applied to handmade pottery. From materials, to tools and pottery making practices, I highlight the areas in which eco-conscious choices can be made when making pottery. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------
Oct 9, 2022
6. What is Plant Ash Glazing?
Did you know that the minerals in plant ashes melt into a pottery glaze when heated to very high temperatures?! In this episode, we explore plant ash glazing and how plants can be used to make pottery glazes. Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube ✨Support the Podcast ------------------------------- Resources for Potters: ⭐ Pottery Paperback Books available from Amazon Free Pottery Guides: 🆓 Download the Free How to Make a Pottery Glaze Workbook (suitable for beginners): 🆓 Download the Free How to programme an Electric Kiln for bisque and stoneware glaze firings (includes full kiln firing schedule) ------------------------------------