Frequently Asked
Yes. Casseroles and baking dishes may be safely used in the oven. Food should be evenly distributed, touching all interior surfaces of the pot for even heating.
Yes, pottery is safe in the microwave. Food should be evenly distributed, touching all interior surfaces of the pot for even heating.
Yes. The glazes will neither run nor fade.
Teapots should be pre-heated with hot tap water before filling the pot with boiling water. Avoid extreme temperature changes. Never plunge a hot vessel into cold water.
Yes. All glazes have been tested and are safe for all food use. There is no lead in the glazes.
I fire it to Orton cone 10 - that's 2340 degrees Fahrenheit - 1282 degrees Celsius.
Wood is used as fuel to bring the kiln to temperature. Wood ash and flames from the fire interact with the clay and glazes. The resulting finishes are somewhat unpredictable and often spectacular.
Sodium chloride - "salt" - is introduced into the kiln at high temperature, interacting with the clay to produce the "orange peel" texture so familiar on those popular antique jugs. Sodium carbonate - "soda" - is now often used instead as some think it is more environmentally friendly.
Stoneware pottery is hard and strong. The clay body and glaze combine as one (vitrify) at very high temperature. Stoneware lends itself both to functional pottery that looks wonderful and lasts forever but also to unique and delightful designs. Some of Terry's stoneware can be seen in the Galleries on this website.
Celadon is a classic grey-green to grey-blue reduction glaze first developed in China. There are a nunber of examples in the Galleries including these three jugs.
Temmoku (or tenmoku) glazes produce deeply expressive black or dark brown finishes. This teapot by Terry is a classic.
Shino glazes originated in Japan. In Japanese the word Shino means snow. In fact, though, shino glazes can range from white into orange and display the desireable greyish highlights caused by carbon "trapping."
Slip is a suspension of clay particles in water.
It is used in decoration, adding texture and and in joining.
Pottery that has been fired but not yet glazed is "bisqued". The pot is harder than raw clay but still porous. In this state it is easier to work with and accepts glazes easily. Often referred to as "biscuit ware".
