My Materials

Much thought and effort goes into the materials I use to make my pots.

Clay comes first!

Since I apprenticed with Mark Hewitt in North Carolina, I have foraged for and processed my own clay. Processing wild clay is more time-consuming than buying pre-made clay, but it gives me greater control over qualities such as color and texture. I am always investigating and testing new sources of local clay. Each one has a different quality whilst you are working with it and when it is fired. I value using local clays because they connect pots to place and they are less detrimental to the environment.

This philosophy extends to glaze materials. During my MFA at Utah State University, I researched making glazes from rocks and minerals. I fire kilns to around 2350°F, which is hot enough to melt most rocks. Virtually any material on the earth's surface can be put to use. The geology of Utah and the surrounding area is diverse gave me plenty of subjects for experimentation. 

Using local materials connects me to the place where I collect them. This makes all of my wares unique and gives me greater satisfaction when making and using them. I hope that my customers get the same sense of connection and satisfaction from using my pots, too.

That is half the story. The other half is the firing process. Ever since I began as a trainee potter at Winchcombe Pottery in England in 2012, I’ve fired my pots with wood. This is the most difficult way to fire pottery. The wood preparation is arduous and the firings often take days to complete, yet I am totally hooked. The process of firing wood kilns is fascinating and I love the community of people it brings together. The surfaces that result from wood firing are complex and rich. The flame, vapour and ash from the wood paint landscapes on the pots.

During my graduate studies at Utah State University I delved into soda firing. This can be done in a gas or wood kiln. The soda adds additional flux to the environment. It is an extra variable that can produce some outstanding results.

In wood and soda firing, chance always plays a role. Often, my favorite pots out of a firing are unexpected. In part, this is due to the peculiarities of each firing, but also the way my materials interact with the soda. The impurities in the clays and rocks result in pots I find all the more compelling. I am on a path of discovery, trying to finesse my raw materials and firing process. Sometimes this research feels like wrangling an unruly jazz ensemble: whirling improvisations that often end in discord, but sometimes delight.

Follow my ongoing research as it progresses on Instagram: @hamish.jackson.pottery

I am always testing new clays and potential glaze materials. If you are in the area and interested in this too then please get in touch and lets go out collecting!