Five steps from a bag of clay to a glazed pot.

The five stages

1. Wedge and throw

   Clay is wedged to push out air, then thrown on the wheel into a rough shape. Bowls and jugs are thrown in one piece, so there is no seam to crack later.

2. Trim and dry

   Once leather hard, the foot is trimmed and the surface finished with a rib. Pieces dry for about a week, under plastic at first, so they do not crack.

3. Bisque fire

   The first firing, to around 960°C, makes the clay hard and porous enough to take glaze evenly.

4. Glaze

   Glazes are dipped or poured in one or two layers. On cobalt and ash, the rim is wiped back so a line of clay shows through.

5. Glaze fire

   The final firing, to 1,260°C, melts the glaze into a glass-hard surface. Each kiln load is logged, and every piece is checked before it leaves the studio.