Our Process

So what do I do, and what services do I offer?

Below are some test tiles of the colors I currently offer. These are just standard glazes and not all of them play well together. Such is the nature of glazes. I mention this because some color choices you make may not work well. If that is the case I will let you know. Also two of these, clear seafoam, clear light blue crazes (lots of tiny cracks). The reason why I offer this is I can add a complimentary colored or black stain in the cracks which really make it pop. People really seem to like it, so I offer it as an option now.

As the name implies, these are glazes that use bone ash as a component. Bone ash is primarily calcium plus a few other things in small amounts. I use the fine ashes from the cremains to make these. I will sieve your cremains through a mesh sieve and use the fine ashes. The rest are returned unless you want them used in the clay body. Bone ash glazes can be temperamental, and thus less commonly used in ceramics. The ones I offer are recipes I have tested extensively in my kiln, and I have a good confidence in. However, as these can be tricky. I will make a small test batch with your cremains before making a full batch in the color of your choice from below.

This option takes extra time, typically two extra weeks, since I run a test batch through a firing first. These are the remains of your beloved person. I will not risk them. I have worked hard to refine the process to require as little of the remains as possible. Any remaining cremains will be returned with the final work.

I will work the coarser ashes into the clay making up your piece. This typically will add a slight gritty texture to your piece. This will not add to the total time of making your item. Your item will still be food safe. Any remaining cremains will be returned with the final work.

Raku is an old Japanese or Korean form of pottery, there’s some debate on where it started. I don't have an opinion, I wasn't there. Raku was used for making roof tiles originally. It is made of what was considered a low quality clay that had tiny bits of ground up broken roof tiles in them. Waste not want, I guess. One of the qualities this clay has is it is very forgiving, relatively, of thermal expansion. This is what lets us rapidly bring the pieces up to temperature, then open up the kiln and pull them out while literally glowing red hot. From there we let it cool to the right temperature and then start applying horse hair. The thicker main and tail hairs work best for this. They ignite instantly to wherever they are placed and leave very distinctive black carbon lines behind. There’s always a bit of chaos involved in this part so no two pieces are the same. In addition I can add small speckle black spots and smokey effects as well as orange and yellow hues. However, part of the beauty of Horse hair Raku is that it is more simple in nature. I can also do this with other pet fur, twisted into thin strands, however the lines will have a more smudged/smoky look to them.

I will also make a standard urn if that is what you are looking for. I will need a general size you want, the color(s) and style. The better description and or sketches, the closer I can get to what you want.

Lets talk a minute about cremains. People believe that when a body is cremated only ash is left. This is partial true. However depending on the size of the body, there may be some good sized chunks of charred bone left. Typically the mortuary will put these through a cremulator. Yes, that’s the real name. It will take the large remains and reduce them into a granular, uniformed size. Then these are mixed in with the ashes and returned to you. I share this information with you, because depending on what you order I may need over a cup by volume, of cremains. In the case of a small pet this will seem like the lions share. However, assuming that you want a larger memorial piece with the cremains in the clay and a bone ash glaze, I will still not be using all of them. And of course I always return remaing cremains, and I take great care to never allow the possibiltiy the your cremains could get mixed with someone elses. Some of the cremains will not be suitable for use as they are too coarse. If you are truly concerned about too may cremains being used, then we can discuss it as part of our video call.