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.

 

a Secret Salt Shaker

 While working on the secret salt shaker, my main focus was creating a design that was both functional and included the hidden hole surprise. Shaping the clay on the wheel required careful attention to keep the walls thin and balanced; the bottom hole needed to be durable while still working smoothly.

 

Working on the wheel was very instructive, as it allowed me to spot and correct small imperfections immediately. I adjusted the volume and balance with the surprise in mind, considering how the salt would pour. After drying, the high-fire firing made the piece strong and smooth. Applying the glaze was critical too; I experimented to achieve an aesthetic finish without affecting the bottom hole or overall balance.

The result is a handmade, slightly unique salt shaker—functional but also playful. Working on the wheel and bringing this design to life taught me a lot, especially about proportion and balance.

 

By the way, I reopened my Etsy shop today after many years!  I also got my website for KupObjects ready and added some products—there’s still room for growth, of course. I’ve been wanting to create my own site on Cargo.site for a long time, and now it’s finally done.

White Matte and Nudibranch Tests

Over the past few days in the studio, I’ve been testing a white matte glaze as well as another glaze called Nudibranch on a series of small bowls, to see how they behave on different clay bodies

The blue nudibranch in the center and the bowl above it were glazed with the same base but with a blue colorant added. All the other bowls are coated with the plain white matte breaking base glaze. The interesting part? Even though the recipe was exactly the same, the results came out quite different because of the clay bodies.

On light clay bodies, the glaze fired to a cool, silky matte white. On warmer-toned clays, it developed subtle brown speckles and the breaking effect became more pronounced, especially along the rims, where it really highlights the shape and texture.

Opening the kiln and spotting these small differences is still the most exciting part for me. Same glaze, same firing — yet completely different results depending on the clay. That’s exactly why I love testing.

 

My New Kiln Has Arrived, Nabertherm Top 60 and AC590

Today my new ceramic kiln arrived. Early in the morning my Nabertherm Top 60 was delivered equipped with the AC590 controller. As soon as I unpacked it I started the initial firing program which is designed to slowly remove any moisture inside the kiln. It’s still running as I write this.

Previously I had been using an old Keramikos kiln which I had bought second-hand. It was already quite aged when it came into my studio. Although it served me well for a time it started to show signs of wear, and technical support was almost non-existent. I struggled for weeks just to replace a kiln wire. Eventually I gave up trying to reach the supplier and began sourcing parts elsewhere, learning to repair it myself along the way. That kiln accompanied me through three years of making but in the end even turning it on required balancing a pen on a chair to press the power button. It still works so I’ve decided to keep it for occasional use.

This new kiln feels like a complete shift — both technically and emotionally.
The AC590 controller brings a whole new level of control and precision to my process. It allows me to store up to 50 custom firing programs each with up to 40 segments. This means I can design every stage of the firing process in detail with full control over ramps, holds, and peak temperatures.

The interface is user-friendly with a large color display that makes programming straightforward. It even includes a built-in assistant called “Conny” which simplifies the setup by guiding me through the essential settings — such as cone value, speed, and hold time — in just a few steps.

But what impressed me most was its integration with a mobile app. I can now monitor the firing process from my phone — tracking current progress, time remaining, and any errors or alerts in real time. I receive notifications when the program finishes or if anything unexpected occurs.

The kiln also features USB data export allowing me to save and review firing data later. This is incredibly useful for analyzing results, comparing tests, and building a consistent, documented workflow. There’s even the option to write programs on a computer and transfer them directly to the kiln.

I hadn’t planned to get something this advanced but now that I have it I’m committed to working in a more disciplined, planned and data-driven way.

With this kiln I also plan to transition to Cone 9 firings. That means I’ll finally be able to test glazes I’ve only dreamed of before and re-visit old experiments under proper high-fire conditions. More tests more clarity and — I hope — more consistent results.