Each piece of jewellery I make is made from a type of Australian clay called stoneware. This clay is made from a combination of feldspar and quartz. It is fired to 1200C, making it durable and dense with a stone-like quality. Size also matters. Smaller pieces made for jewellery is less likely to break if dropped compared to larger vessels made of the same material.
In my process, I used coloured frit, which is essentially colourants encased in glass then ground into a powder. They are lead-free stains which are mixed and kneaded in various ratios into the clay body. The clay is then rolled out and cut into shapes. Once this is done, it is left to dry, upon which I hand smooth and shape each piece before it gets placed into the kiln. Firing the kiln to 1200C takes almost 24 hours to ramp up and cool down.
There’s always a bit of excitement opening a kiln. It’s the anticipation of whether a lovely earth toned hue is awaiting me or something that hasn’t quite worked out. It is a bit of an experiment to get the colours just right!
Before assembling I always seal each stoneware bead with liquid quartz. A sealer which is designed to render the piece waterproof and stain resistant without changing the texture or colour of the bead.
All the jewellery findings and charms I use are 18K gold plated brass, giving each piece a light gold shine and sparkle! I use gold in my work asI think it pairs so well with the ceramic beads, showing off the texture and colour of each stone-like piece.
So there you have it. Yes, ceramic stoneware jewellery is durable, waterproof and stain-resistant. I just love the quality it mimics of our Australian coast. The texture smooth yet slightly rough in places and the colours, always connected to our coast.
If you have any questions, I’d love to chat with you. Drop me an email or DM.
x
Cheryl-Lynn