Pottery by Tanya
Hi everybody! My name is Tanja @tkosovska on instagram. I am actually from Ukraine, but based in Norway. I am a children's book illustrator and... pottery maker. Watercolors and clay are my passions. Watercolors is the old passion and clay is a new one. I just love mugs! Big mugs, small mugs, with funny handles, interesting forms, with or without pictures. For one year ago I discovered instamugs for me. It was love from first sight. I wanted them all! But it is not possible, that's why I decided to learn to make them myself. I am still at the beginning of my pottery maker's way, but I enjoy it so much! There are already hundreds of mugs, tumblers and plates at my home and they are waiting for their new homes.
The process...
The whole process can take about a week. First I throw the clay on the throwing wheel. I usually make small objects like mugs, and tumblers. Then it needs to dry for quite some hours, usually one night, so it is ready to be painted. Pottery needs to be fired in a kiln on a very high temperature, about 1200 degrees, sometimes more, that's why pottery needs special paints, you can't use watercolors or acrylic. Why? They will just burn out. So the piece must dry, it takes a few days. If the weather is warm and sunny, perhaps 3-4 days, and if it is rainy - about a week. If it is not dry enough it can explode in the kiln!
So it can be fired for the first time. After that is glazing time. Glaze doesn't allow the water to come through the mug. After glazing, the piece must be fired a second time. After this the mugs are ready to use!
Actually it is very easy to be a pottery maker. You don't need a throwing wheel, and it is possible to make amazing pottery on the slab. You just need to find someone with a kiln to fire your pieces. I have my own baby kiln so I fire at home.
If you are interested in learning more about making your own pottery or about purchasing a handcrafted piece, please feel free to contact Tanya via Instagram @tkosovska or email tkosovska@googlemail.com
My review:
I have been using my handcrafted palette for a period of a couple of months now. It travelled safely all the way from Norway to New Zealand. I am happy with the size of each well for mixing colors and the way the colors settle into the ceramic texture. It is smooth and crafted well. I would heartily recommend a ceramic palette because it is a unique handcrafted piece of functional art. There is nothing like it and I love this so much! I have another ceramic palette and it is lovely but the texture is not smooth like Tanya's.
Thank you so much Tanya for sharing about your pottery process and passions. Please go check her out on Instagram and give her a follow. @tkosovska
Question: Do you have a ceramic palette? Share your experiences in the comments.
Question: What is the most common color that you mix in your palette? Mine is usually skin tones or pastel tones.