| How
We Make Our Pottery |
"Thanks to
Ephraim Faience for continuing to make fine pottery in the unequaled
American crafting tradition. The global economy can take our jobs, our
real estate, and everything else - except for our talent. Talent is
something that belongs to an individual and is, by his or her choice,
shared with others."
B.B.,
Chicago, Illinois, via email
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The Ephraim Faience Pottery artists collaborate
on the design and creation of each vase and candlestick. True to the legacy of Arts and
Crafts, all of the work is done by hand in Ephraim's rural Wisconsin studio.
The potters use earthenware and stoneware clays from the Midwest to throw and sculpt the forms.
The decorators formulate and mix the glazes and apply them to the forms. This
hands-on process ensures the uniformly high quality of workmanship for which Ephraim
Faience Pottery is known. |
Ken
throwing a Large Wild Iris Vase
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Some sources of inspiration for pottery
designs |
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Inspiration for new pottery
designs come from many places. Common sources of inspiration include the
fields and marshes around our studio, our own backyards, pictures in
books, the flora and fauna of the places we travel to, old Arts and Crafts
pottery, and bungalow and Prairie-style architecture. The pottery is a
very creative place, and there is no shortage of new ideas.
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The potters try to work some
time for experimentation into their schedules each week. After
those experimental pieces have been bisque fired, then it's the glazers'
turn to "play," trying out new glazes and glazing techniques. Only the
pieces that can be reproduced consistently will make it into our
catalog.
All of our pieces are
created entirely by hand. The potter works the clay on a wheel,
"throwing" it into the desired form.
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Laura sculpting a
Raven Vase |
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The thrown, wet piece is
referred to as "green ware." The Ephraim Faience Pottery mark is applied
to the foot (bottom) of the thrown clay form, which is then left to dry.
Drying usually takes from three to ten days, depending on the size of
the piece, the clay used, and the climatic conditions in the studio. If
leaves, buds, or other sculpted decoration are to be applied, it is done
during this drying time.
When the piece is bone dry, it undergoes the
bisque firing, after which it is hard and is ready to be decorated. The decorator applies
the glazes, and the piece is fired again. Some pieces are glazed twice and
require two glaze firings.
After firing, the foot is ground to remove excess glaze. In most cases, the entire process
takes three to four weeks, if no problems, such as cracking or breaking, occur along the
way. The results of this labor-intensive process are the unique and stunning pieces shown
in
our catalog.
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