My name is Ruth Fox and I create unique and decorative ceramics for the home, working from my studio on the beautiful East Coast of Lincolnshire in England. I work in stoneware clay, mainly on the wheel, which is then decorated by hand using a glazing technique called layering and then single fired in an electric kiln. I discovered my love of clay about 30 years ago, and have picked it up and put it down as life got in the way. Now I’ve found my way back to it and I am enjoying immersing myself in this medium from my home studio.
I think clay is a fascinating medium to work in. I love to throw and handbuild – sometimes both on the same pot, often carving it.
Single firing is the process of going from raw to glazed work, bypassing completely the bisque stage that most potters are taught to do at college. In 2019 I started experimenting with single firing, which eliminates the need for two firings on every pot. Normally potters will bisque fire a piece to 1000deg c before glazing and refiring, which for my work is 1200c. With experience and careful handling, I now single fire the majority of my work which helps to save energy, and is more eco friendly. Glaze is applied to bone dry, unfired clay (known as raw or greenware). It is an extremely delicate process as the raw clay absorbs water from the glaze, and can cause the piece to collapse. I describe it as like painting a chocolate egg. The main benefits of single firing are to save energy and time. The energy saving makes the process more environmentally friendly. It can also save time, when one considers the heating up and cooling down times involved in the average modern electric kiln. The downsides. apart from total failure, are glaze incompatibilities with the clay body in the firing process. It takes a strong resolve to persevere.
Layering involves applying multiple glazes to each piece, usually brushed on one layer at a time. Upto eight layers are used to achieve some of the subtle and beautiful colour combinations. This makes every piece unique as the firing results vary, as does the way the glaze is applied.