Showcased in our current window display is work by Emma Williams who makes decorative low fired ceramics in her Nottingham studio using a variety of techniques.

Emma’s bowl forms are made by smoothing flat sheets of black stoneware clay into hand made plaster moulds. After removing them from the moulds she scrapes and smoothes the work with tools and applies white slip to areas of the clay.

Following an initial biscuit firing to 1000ºC, Emma dips, pours and brushes on a variety of glazes to create a range of intense colours and tactile surfaces, including vibrant matt turquoise barium glazes and textured ‘crawl’ glazes, so called because the glaze pulls or ‘crawls’ away from the clay surface as it heats up in her electric kiln to around 1050ºC, creating the decorative effect.

Inspiration for her work comes from myriad influences found in the natural world including rocks and minerals, birds’ eggs, and aged, weathered surfaces.