This ancestral technique makes it possible to produce waterproof ceramic pieces without glaze.
My work is organized in 7 steps :
Step 1 : Forming the piece.
Step 2 : Daubing of the uncooked piece.I use a brush to apply layers of a mixture of clay, metallic oxides, ocher and silica, all of which influence the color and the shine of the piece.
Step 3 : Polishing of the uncooked piece.I polish the piece with agate in order to smooth the surface. Two or three polishings are carried out while the clay gradually dries and hardens.
Step 4 : Drying and firing of the piece at 1000°C.
Step 5 : Preparation for smoking. I apply different sorts of shields which protect the surface during smoking and which will then reveal the contrasts between darker patches (rich in carbon) and lighter patches (free of carbon).
Step 6 : The smoking. I place the piece in a pit filled with combustible matter (sawdust, wood chips, newspaper) which I then ignite before covering. The carbon permeates more or less heavily the surfaces of the ceramic according to the presence or absence of shields. To accentuate the nuances, I often smoke the same piece several times.
Step 7 : Cleaning and shining of the pieces with natural beeswax.
