What's New at the Studio?

01

The studio has been busy in that slightly chaotic, clay-on-every-surface kind of way—and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

There’s a teapot in progress that just got its spout and handles attached, and it’s officially entered that “don’t touch, just admire from a distance” stage while it dries.

02

A freshly trimmed vase; the point where it finally starts to feel like itself. On this piece, I’m testing a new placement for the Shekla logo—front and (just below?) centre, rather than on the bottom (or foot).

Trimming is my favourite step. It's equal parts precision, patience, and repetition, with just enough room for the occasional questionable decision that you only notice once it’s too late.

03

I’ve also been deep in glaze testing mode, playing around with new colours, combinations, and techniques.

Some are doing exactly what I hoped, while others… not so much. Either way, I’m getting a feel for which colours feel just right for this first collection.

04

There’s a bunch of mugs and espresso cups ready for their final firing. I’ve sent them off to the kiln, and they’ll come back in a few days, glossy and in entirely new colours.

You can never predict what outcome you’ll get, but like a parent, all you can do is give them the right tools and quietly hope to God they turn out at least half-decent (…or so I’m told).

05

And I’ve also been experimenting with new espresso cup shapes, alongside the classic straight-profile cup.

Seeing them all together post-trim has been really fun. Like with eyebrows, we’re aiming for sisters, not twins—though in this case, maybe closer to cousins? (Slightly too much variation for eyebrows to be involved, but you get the idea.)