Handmade Plates Without a Wheel

Today I worked on a hand-built plate, focusing on the material rather than precision.

I rolled the clay thicker than usual and combined two different clay bodies, cutting small square shapes without overthinking their form.

The pieces were placed side by side, close enough to naturally stick together. A simple plate and a layer of plastic wrap helped shape the surface gently. Some tools came from outside the ceramic studio. a pastry cutter, borrowed from baking tools became part of the process.

After bisque firing I wiped away the dust and sanded the surface slowly. The goal was not perfection, but balance letting marks and unevenness fade while keeping the plate’s character.

Glazing followed in a loose, experimental way, using brushes, drawing tools and dipping. Some materials disappear in the kiln, others stay and that uncertainty is part of the work.

I also recorded the making process and shared it on YouTube. You can find the full process video through the link below. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGN_ftsG5h4

A new Youtube Vlog!

A new video is now live on my YouTube channel.

From an sea walk to the studio this video shows the process behind my black clay cups.

 

Black Clay Cups After an Ocean Walk

Sometimes you are influenced by something without noticing it at the moment. These cups came out in that way.

After a walk near the ocean I went back to the studio and sat at the wheel. During the walk I did not take photos or focus on any specific detail. Later I realised that the soft surfaces of charred wood pieces on the sand stayed with me. Wood shaped by wind and time. Dark surfaces that feel calm and worn. Not fully rough and not fully smooth.

While working with black clay I decided to keep the wheel marks. For me they are not mistakes. They show the process. The speed of the hands and small pauses stay on the surface. Like in nature not everything disappears. Some things remain as traces.

The form was shaped by how the cup feels in the hand. Not by a strict plan. The soft curve at the bottom and the slight change in the body create a natural balance. It feels quiet and simple. Easy to hold without thinking about it.

The stamp is a very personal detail in this work. I made it with my own hands. It is not a ready logo. I tested and reshaped it many times. It does not stand out loudly. On the black surface it appears only with light. Sometimes it is noticed later.

When the cups stand together they look similar but they are not the same. They feel like they come from the same walk. From the same place but from different moments. I did not plan a series or a story at first. I made the pieces and the meaning appeared slowly after.

Some works happen like this. First they are made. Then they remind you where they came from.

My New YouTube Video with the Rohde HMT600

I spent some time trying simple, free-form shapes with no particular goal other than getting used to the rhythm of the machine. A few small curves, a flower-like opening here and there and some pieces that didn’t quite work out but still taught me something. All part of settling into a new tool.

The video includes a short unboxing clip, the sound of the wheel, a few early pieces and a bit of my cleaning routine at the end. It’s a silent, slow studio vlog  just the process as it happened.

Watch the video here

Just a Pinboard for the Road

I created a small Pinterest board with my own camp photos and videos.

I didn’t want to write long explanations there, it’s just a place where I collect moments from the road. I enjoy creating new camp meals, planning long bikepacking routes and now preparing my Jimny for trips… but I’m not sure where to share all of this.

This blog feels better when it stays focused on ceramics, so I probably won’t talk about camping here. At least for now.

If you’re curious the link to my Pinterest board is here.

ROHDE HMT 600 ^^

I have been thinking about buying a new pottery wheel for a long time. Since I want to buy it only once and use it for many years, I tried not to rush. I compared different models again and again sometimes I leaned towards Shimpo and then I changed my mind back to Rohde. In the end, today I chose the ROHDE HMT 600.

The main reason was that I wanted something long-lasting. I looked at the strength of the body, the torque, and the general reliability of the brand. I wanted a wheel that I would not need to replace or upgrade after a few years, and Rohde felt like the safer choice for that.

In the Netherlands, there is only one official Rohde seller. Instead of ordering it online, I preferred to visit the shop and buy it in person. It helped me understand the machine better and made the decision feel more solid. For now, I bought the model without shelves, and I plan to add the extra parts later, depending on my needs.

One thing I noticed during setup is that the wheel head works a bit differently than Shimpo models. On Shimpo wheels you can slide the top tray out from the side, but on the Rohde you remove the metal bat plate in the center to reach the splash pan underneath. It is just a different system, and it already feels quite natural.

There is also a water drain tube under the splash pan. This is useful during long throwing sessions, because the extra water does not collect inside the pan. Cleaning it is also simple.

A small detail made me smile: the foot pedal connects to the machine with a jack plug, similar to the ones used in Yamaha musical instruments. Seeing a music-style connection on a pottery wheel felt funny and strangely charming. It also means the system is simple and easy to replace if needed.

For now, the wheel is set up in my studio, and I will start working on it soon. As I spend more time with it, I will write another post about how it feels during actual throwing — the pedal response, speed control, and the general stability while centering clay.

Kadikoy, kasım ‘25

During this trip to Istanbul, I went to a place I hadn’t visited in seven or eight years. I also met an old friend at the same spot where we used to meet.

For a long time I thought nothing would feel the same if I ever came back. But when I arrived early and walked around a bit my heart stayed calmer than I expected. I sat on a bench watched the street, listened to the sounds a familiar language, a familiar air.

I came across some things I had deeply missed. I realized my fear of facing them made sense but there was also something gentle hidden in that fear.

If it weren’t for my friend’s invitation I probably wouldn’t have come on my own. Yet here I was stepping back into feelings I’d avoided for years.

It felt like a small kind of peace. I didn’t cry, I just felt grateful and quietly lucky for what I have. 

I found myself thinking a lot about how people once saw me and how I saw myself’ during this trip. I was surprised by how much I had forgotten about who I used to be and how much I’d assumed others had forgotten too.

I heard things that showed me how wrong I was how often I had underestimated myself or felt ashamed of things that others never judged me for. Realizing that even people I once had difficult experiences with still meet me with warmth and kindness felt transforming.

That’s why I started thinking again.about that feeling buried deep inside me. The one that still makes me feel so alive that still brings a quiet kind of happiness. Even with all the bad memories it insists on staying. a feeling full of both ache and grace. I keep wondering how to make sense of it.

On this trip i met some friends from my childhood people I hadn’t seen in years. And that’s when I started thinking again. Are they so accepting because I’m still genuinely happy to have them in my life?

Do the ones I haven’t seen for so long still care about me too?

Maybe the unspoken things between us, the quiet sense of connection I still feel, exist simply because in some way, we still belong to each other?

Quiet Pottery Studio Day (with my cat)

I just uploaded my first YouTube video.

It’s a calm day in my pottery studio where I make a wheel-thrown mug from start to finish — throwing, trimming, glazing and firing.

My cat joined me a few times while I was working.
If you enjoy quiet studio moments and handmade ceramics, you might like it.

Watch the full video on YouTube 

Chasing the Iron Dot Effect

Over the past few weeks, I tried to achieve this effect using iron under dots applied under or just beneath the glaze. During firing, the iron melts and spreads slightly, with the center turning dark brown to nearly black, and the edges developing a subtle rust-like hue.

In my first attempt where I applied the iron very thinly, it flowed almost like water. In the areas where I applied it thickly, bubbling and separation from the surface occurred. 

For the second attempt, I hadn’t planned on doing it but out of impatience I quickly added it to my Cone 6 kiln. The result was a dark blotch; without sufficient flow, the effect lost its vitality and looked unattractive.

For the final attempt, I refined the recipe and fired it at Cone 9. The effect I was aiming for finally appeared. The centers were dark, almost black brown, and the edges had a delicate, warm rust tone. The iron remained slightly flowed but maintained its form, creating the lively, balanced effect I had envisioned.The glaze itself was quite thick almost the consistency of yogurt, which added to the depth and texture of the effect.

Red Iron Dots Recipe

Red Iron Oxide – 45 g

Frit 3124 – 40 g

Kaolin – 15 g

Silica – 22 g

Gerstley Borate – 10 g

These small but effective adjustments allowed the iron to move naturally beneath the glaze, giving the surface a sense of depth and life and making each piece feel unique.

This week I also filmed a video for YouTube capturing my experience making a ceramic piece from start to finish. Now I’m waiting for the glaze to be fired but it was a great experience and I’ll be sharing it soon. I might also return to sharing on Instagram though writing here feels more personal and comfortable for now.