Claire Seneviratne - Ceramic Artist

BA Hons-selected professional member of the Craft Potters Association.

My work involves many processes and takes 2/3 months form start to finish.

I use porcelain and most frequently throw on my wheel but can also use other techniques.

Once the form is complete I may add a coloured slip or leave it as the natural porcelain colour. I then burnish the work with a light bulb. This gives a lovely organic finish.

I may then partially glaze just to start adding layers of interest.

After this I often use copper carbonate as I love the different ways it can react.

The vessel is then fired in my electric kiln.
After the firing I then add gold lustre in places. Gold lustre is very expensive and contains real gold.

I then return the vessel to my electric kiln and the gold is fired on.

After the second firing the vessel is taken outside to be smoke fired in sawdust. I have developed this technique over the years and have to use a particular sawdust and place it in a particular way.

This burns through the night. When the work has cooled down it is washed, sanded where it needs to be and then polished with beeswax.