Spontaneous jug

With a spare few minutes in the studio and a leather-hard slab of clay in front of me, I decided to work spontaneously. What began as a simple slab-built vase quickly evolved; I added coils to increase the height of the vessel, pushed out a belly shape with a damp sponge and then gently formed a spout with my fingers, allowing it to shift naturally into a jug shape.

I pulled several handles and chose the one with the most pleasing proportions — the balance between body and handle always feels crucial in a functional piece. The rim remains intentionally rough. Rather than refining it, I chose to embrace that rawness, aiming for a distinctly rustic character.

For the surface, I applied tape across the form and brushed on two coats of brown slip. Once the slip had dried, I peeled away the tape to reveal the linear contrasts before sending the piece for bisque firing. Afterward, I added wax resist in the shape of birds, scattered intermittently across the surface. Over this, I layered the new red copper glaze from the university supplies, followed by a transparent glaze.

It has now gone into reduction firing.

As always with copper in reduction, the outcome feels deliciously unpredictable. I’m hoping for a rustic finish with gentle but clear variation — the richness of the slipped surface, the exposed clay lines left by the tape, and the silhouetted birds where the glaze will resist and reveal something quieter beneath.

Now comes the waiting — that familiar mixture of anticipation and surrender to the kiln.