Teapot 2 pint, vapour glazed ceramic by Margaret Gardiner

two pint ceramic teapot by Margaret Gardiner with lustrous blue vapour glaze Light, smooth clay, either porcelain or white stoneware, combined with the revealing process of vapour glazing, are the elements which motivate me. My work has always had its roots in function and domestic ware. I work mainly in porcelain, thrown on the wheel, slab built, extruded and slip-cast. I’m concentrating on finely thrown bowls, large centrepiece dishes, all sizes of jugs and vases, and a wide range of drinking vessels. I love textures: lace, peacock feathers, shells and shiny things and the process of evolving these into my ceramics. I’m aware of 3 main influences: Victorian architecture, Greek pots, and the sea. I particularly want to emulate the joy I feel when snorkelling: I delight in the colours and patterns of coral and sea creatures. I notice patterns wherever I go and travel whenever possible. Once I have designed the forms, I use them as a palette for textural patterns and then choose how to place them in the kiln for emphasis. The random element at this stage is very exciting and the results are a constant motivator. The work is vapour-glazed with both salt and soda at 1300°C in a gas kiln, then fumed with stannous chloride to create random areas of lustrous iridescence.