ARTISTS’ STATEMENT

There is a unique beauty in the way that art and nature combine in crystalline glazes, a beauty that is best showcased in forms that are elegant and simple. This makes crystalline glazes especially appropriate for fragile, ornamental pieces that enlist our accumulated aesthetic and technical knowledge. We cast these pieces from porcelain in molds of our own design, adding finishing touches by hand at the end of the casting process.

Crystals grow only in glazes that are highly fluid. The fluidity of the glaze requires that each ornament be fired on a one-use-only stand to which it becomes fused. The piece must be carefully removed from the stand, and some ornaments are lost in the process because of their fragility.

Crystals grow in a glaze like frost on a window, and the craftsperson must provide the proper temperature and the proper speed of cooling to encourage this growth. The specific cooling cycle controls the shape and size of the crystals. Our pieces are fired at a temperature of 2280 degrees F, then cooled to 1950 degrees F and held there for 1 to 2 hours. The addition of metallic oxides creates the various colors in our glazes.

Whether you believe in “crystal power” or are simply attracted to the way that crystals enhance the beauty of ceramic materials, we trust that you will enjoy owning these handcrafted ornaments.