Frequently Asked Questions

What is Colored Clay?

Colored clay is clay that has been colored with pigments. I color my white porcelain clay with different stains or oxides that I keep separated until I am ready to use them. It’s a time consuming, physically tiring and expensive extra step (stains are not cheap) before you can actually make anything, but I do it anyway because I love the result. If you are curious, I expand on this subject HERE.

What is Nerikomi?

Nerikomi is a Japanese term that designate a specific ceramic technique I use in my practice. It means using different colored clays to create a design inside the clay. It can be a simple design like stripes of different colors, or a very complex design (flowers, butterflies and other animals, landscapes). What makes Nerikomi special compared to other ceramic techniques is that since the design is IN the clay, you can see it on all sides of the piece, and you don’t necessarily need to use a glaze. If you do, you usually use a clear glaze so the pattern stays visible. If you’re curious, I talk about how I started using this technique and what the different words used to describe it mean in this post.

Why is Handmade Ceramics so Expensive and Why Should I Buy it Anyway?

Because it takes time to learn the skills and time to make these unique beautiful objects. I write more in detail about the ceramic process HERE.

Your Ceramics doesn’t look like other Ceramics I see at craft markets. Why is that?

It could be because I use colored clay which means that I often don’t use glazes (or only clear glazes) but instead rely on the patterns I create in the clay to give my ceramics its personality. The result is very different from typical ceramic pieces covered with glazes.

Ceramics is also a way for me to express myself through art, and some of my pieces are more sculptural than functional and are therefore unique.

What does Terre des Oules mean and why is it in French?

I am a French person living in the US. It is important for me to connect with my culture. I gave my ceramics business a French name, and I sometimes decorates my ceramics with French poems or French expressions. You can read all about Terre des Oules here.