Made by Our Hands to be Functional in Yours
My passion for ceramics started in my childhood, when I was walking the streets of Prague’s Old Town with my grandfather, visiting local artists and their studios. I was mesmerized by how a set of skillful hands can transform a piece of clay into something that was functional and beautiful at the same.
As years passed, I stayed attracted to ceramics but found myself more driven to nature which led me to earning a Ph.D. in applied and landscape ecology. I spent over 20 years working in environmental consulting specializing in protecting native habitats, threatened and endangered species, and exploring ceramics in my free time. It started slowly by watching educational videos, attending various workshops, and making ceramics for myself, friends, and family on the weekends.
In 2016, I had completed an apprenticeship with a master production potter, Bill van Gilder, and learned skills on how to make ceramics at high volume, as identical as possible, yet leaving room for a footprint of the handmade process.
At that same time, I was beginning to face multiple health issues, including being diagnosed with cancer. I realized that I needed to start focusing on my well-being and remove unnecessary stress level from my life -- mostly of which was coming from a demanding corporate job.
I established Spinware in 2019 and incorporated my passion for nature by choosing glaze colors from a natural palette while leaving some clay surfaces exposed to allow for a deeper connection between the user and the clay. I found making ceramics extremely peaceful and therapeutic, and in 2023 when my business was generating enough income to support my living, I left the high pace environmental consulting industry.
The beauty of making ceramics is that it forces you to take time and slow down the nowadays high-paced lifestyle. Not only are there multiple steps to take (e.g., prepare clay, make pieces, trim excessive clay, attached handles, dry the pieces in controlled conditions, bisque fire, glaze, fire again, and polish the ceramics) but also, the process cannot be rushed without negatively impacting your work.
When designing ceramics, my goal is to customize the product to be well-suited to the needs of the customer. For example, 12-14 oz mugs are what most of my customers are looking for, but I also have a small but growing segment of customers that identify as specialty coffee enthusiasts, and they are shopping primarily for 8-10 oz mugs.
That said, maintaining product consistency is a challenge. Clay shrinks anywhere between 5 to 7 percent during each firing cycle, which equates up to 14 percent variation in the final size. This varies based on how much water the clay contains after it was mixed and what the final temperature in the kiln was during each firing. On the top of that, the pieces are handmade, so even though I have established measurements I follow for each product, it is very easy to deviate and make a piece 1/8 of inch smaller or larger.
Another challenge with handmade ceramics is to maintain the inventory. It takes on average about 3 weeks to complete a single piece from start to finish. The first ten days are usually dedicated to making the item, trimming the excessive clay, adding handles, sponging, and letting them slowly dry. Then, the pieces get bisque fired, glazed, and fired again. Each firing takes about 3 days from start to finish. To maintain the inventory, it requires careful planning and accurate tracking of produced pieces at the various stages.
Because I like to incorporate exposed clay surfaces into my ceramics, I sand and polish each piece by hand with an emery cloth and organic coconut oil. It leaves a very smooth and velvety feel, making it a pleasure to hold, providing a close connection between you and the piece. This polishing process is very time-consuming, which might explain why some ceramicists prefer to glaze the whole piece, and those that leave some clay exposed, often do not put in the extra effort to soften the surface.
I want my ceramics to serve you well and impact how you feel every time you reach for and use them. I want you to feel the softness of the clay, be inspired by the beauty of the natural colors, appreciate the unique footprint of the firing in each piece, and develop a personal attachment to each piece. Afterall, they are not just objects. They are a product of my heart, soul, and time.
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Have a question? I am here to help.
Text: 303-900-3498
Email: production [!at] spinware.studio
