tokatistudio

A family of large vases, all dry and waiting for the bisque.

I'm considering not glazing these because I love their forms so much.

Can't wait to add more to the family.

Usually, when potters want to test glazes, they make test tiles. But glazes don't always give you all the information on such a straight surface.

This time, I decided to throw a bunch of mini pots off the hump to see how the glazes would look on curves and inside bowls.

Initially, I didn't think to trim them so delicately as they were just test pieces. But then I thought if the glazes turned out nice, it would be waste not to. Plus, it's always good practice.

So here we are. A family of mini pots.

Available this Saturday .in.cyprus Spring Bazaar.

Mugs with matching coasters.

This is a new shape for me.
The handles were pulled, something I'm completely new to, something I'm still scared of.

I'd really like to know your colour preferences on these ones.

You can find these as well as some other things I've made next Saturday 13/04 at .in.cyprus Spring bazaar.

Find me here! 📍
Along with many other makers and artists, 🎨🖌️
Good food and a raffle, 🎟️🌭
Spring sun and drinks, 🌞🍹
Come and spend the day or a couple of hours, 🗓️
Perusing some crafts, 🖼️🏺
And give us your hard-earned money 💰
For a slice of our creative efforts! 🎁

A commissioned set of 9 stoneware jugs (see last photo), each made from 1kg of clay, with roughly a capacity of 700ml.

If you’ve been following my efforts with these, you’ll know that I made an initial batch of these same jugs, all of which failed in the kiln - dubbed the meltpocalypse. This was either due to the glaze being too thick, or the kiln overfiring, or both.

So, I’m really happy that this second try was a huge success. Excited to see them all in their new homes when they get there.

- sunlight 3 - Wabi Sabi cups in white stoneware.

- sunlight 2 - Jar in black stoneware.

- sunlight 1 - Large bowl in red stoneware.

Whenever the sun shines through the western window of the studio, I'm compelled to clear the table and take some intimate photos.

Sometimes I forget to what extent natural light changes the quality of not only how the clay looks, but also the photos that come out.

Starting off the new year with various projects in progress.

I caught a good splash of afternoon sun in the studio yesterday and decided to have an impromptu shoot of some of my current commissioned pieces:

- A series of jugs made for a lovely couple for whom I also made some wedding favours early last year (and who are now also students of mine) - glazed and ready to be fired.

- A set of wabi sabi style coffee cups. These were a fun deviation from the usual shapes I make - glazed and ready to fire

- A few reed diffusers, for a potential client. Started with some samples and if all goes well, more will follow – glazed and ready to fire.

- Two large black stoneware plant pots; one commissioned, one just for fun – trimmed and drying.

Exciting things are in the works for this year, including something secret that I've been working on. Fingers crossed it'll be revealed soon!

Wishing everyone a healthy and creative start to the year.

Making some Wabi Sabi coffee cups while I think about what the new year holds for me creatively.

One final splash of colour before Saturday's market.

I've recently come to love certain glaze combinations, especially on bowls. The results are much different to the same glazes applied to straight walled pots, as the glaze naturally collects thicker at the bottom of the curve.

The result is a beautiful gradient of colours.

These and many other bowls are coming along with me to .in.cyprus market this Saturday.

Hope to see you there 🌻

A splash of colour on my feed.

Yesterday's afternoon sun provided the perfect backdrop for a photo session, and with the upcoming .in.cyprus Christmas market in mind, I thought I’d post some more items I'll be featuring this Saturday.

This mug shape has gradually become my standard design. Over the past year, there have been various iterations, each one bringing me closer to an end goal—though that goal is definitely going to change as well. There are some variations in handle size, as I'm still in the process of finalizing the design.

Nevertheless, these mugs are incredibly comfortable, featuring a glossy interior and an array of glazes on the exterior. I like to produce a variety of glazes, especially for markets, ensuring there's something for everyone who passes by.

I hope to see many of you on Saturday!

The sexiest thing I've made in 5 years of throwing pots.

Black clay plate with white slip. The outer edge of the plate was trimmed to reveal the groggy clay underneath the slip.

I can't wait to make more of these. The combination of smooth stoneware slip on the grogged body has unlocked many possibilities for me.

Need to get me some more of this groggy black clay first, though.

I've made a few of these for the upcoming Christmas market by .in.cyprus, next Saturday 9/12.

Five years into wheel throwing and I'm still trying to figure out what I like to make.

I definitely enjoyed making this jar, which I'm really happy was bought at a recent bazaar hosted by .ceramics. I expect more similar pieces to come in the near future.

Right now though, I'm busy making for the Christmas market hosted by .in.cyprus on the 9th of December at Strovolos Municipal Centre. If you fancy some handmade Christmas present, drop by!

LESSONS!

Want to experience the magic of wheel throwing? Dive into a 5-week journey with me and discover the intricate techniques of wedging, coning, centering, pulling, pinching, compressing, collaring and more.

🗓️ Schedule: Monday | Wednesday | Friday 18:00 - 20:00

❔INFO: All material and firings included in cost. 5 weeks x 2 hr course in total (wheel throwing & glazing). DM for more details. Limited spaces due to small classes!

🌟 Acquired Skills:
| Real life shapeshifting
| Mind-body connection
| Patience and humility
| Bringing ideas to life

📷

Back in March, a good friend of mine and talented photographer dropped by the studio for a visit. I was working on a big wedding commission of 250 cups at the time and she was gracious enough to shoot some photos of the process.

Seeing these photos, I'm looking forward to the coming winter months where I can wear my painters coat and won't be drenched in sweat after the slightest bit of movement.

Thanks for the photos, Natasa, and see you soon.

Closing up shop for a couple of weeks to take a well deserved holiday.

This has been a wonderfully productive year, both in the studio and personally. Huge thanks to everyone who took lessons and supported my work. Your trust means a lot to me, and I hope you come back again soon.

Classes will resume in September. Get in touch to book your spot 🌻

A set of footed bowls, fresh out of the kiln, soaking in the afternoon sun.

(one of these is not like the others)

DM for orders.

Today I am celebrating the completion of my biggest commission yet, 250 cups. These were hand thrown for a couple’s wedding favours, aka μπομπονιέρες (bombonieres).

A & G wanted something handmade for their guests’ gifts and after sharing ideas we were all happy to go with this shape and glaze.

I’ve grown very fond of this glaze over the past couple of months and can safely say that it is one that I will keep for the foreseeable future. The base glaze is a dark teal normally, but the addition of red iron oxide produces some great effects, namely in the red speckles that come to the surface. I’m still getting used to the right proportions and thickness that need to be applied to get the desired effect.

Thank you again to A & G for giving me the chance to make their wedding day a tad more special, with something unique and lasting. Congratulations and all the best to you both. X

Styles, colour palletes and wares I aim to revisit and refine in the near future.

Things have been so busy in the studio recently, between teaching and commissions, that I haven't found the time to immerse myself in the tableware I so often imagine making.

The ideas are dormant yet alive, and the window of opportunity will come when it is granted to me.

Wishing you all a lovely Sunday.

Another recent commission I've been working on this year for a set of 50 candle bodies.

I am very happy with how these came out, another good challenge for me in my production skills.

makes hand-poured, eco-friendly, therapeutic massage candles. Please go support her page if you are looking for something local, calming and environmentally conscious.

My first commission of the year has finally come to an end.

I’ve made these mugs for my cousin , who is a brilliantly talented model maker based in Cyprus. She had the great idea to gift her clients with some handmade mugs every time she would deliver a project to them. So thank you, Lia, for trusting in my skills to deliver a product that is on par with the brilliant work into which you pour your heart and soul.

Please go take a look at her profile and her work, I’m sure you will be mind blown by the incredible detail, patience and skill she puts into her work. It takes months for her to produce her projects, as she not only has to construct her work, but design each piece to be laser cut and constructed like a three dimensional puzzle. Each model is made of thousands of little pieces where each piece has its place; a multi-stage process that can only be described as meticulous and painstaking.

I had the pleasure of working with Lia back in 2019, when I first moved back to Cyprus and wanted to continue working with my hands. That was quite an experience, as we worked on a project that involved constructing an entire complex atop a mountainside. Seeing it all come together was awesome, so, thanks again Lia for trusting in my skills as I had no idea what I was doing :)

Carrying on from yesterday’s excitement about spraying, another great thing about it is that you
can easily blend glazes to make a gradient. This is exactly what I did with this vase, which you can see me making in my latest reel.

I usedthis piece as more of a test, and you’ll see why if you scroll to the last photo. In retrospect, I’m actually gladthat happened in because if the vase hadn’t cracked, I don’t know if I would have hadthe confidence to do a graduated glaze.

As far as the gradient is concerned, I would call this a success, but if I had to do it again I wouldinvert the colours.

Here’s to more spraying.

A duo of tall vases in my new favourite glaze, applied with a spray gun for a very uniform and smooth finish.

I can't express my excitement with spraying glazes, mostly due to the fact that I was always brushing my glazes on, resulting in a much less uniform result.

I still have much to learn about applying glazes, making glazes, understanding glazes; everything about glazes pretty much. But having said that, the spray gun provides me with some solace in front of the giant mountain that is learning about glazes.

These vessels and some others will be available for purchase this Saturday 17th December. I hope to see you there.

Plates drying in the morning sun.

These, among other functional tableware will be available at the Christmas market on the 17th of December hosted by .

Hope to see you there.

One more great test tile that's come out of the latest batch.

I haven't dived deep into glazes yet, but I've been editing premade recipes with different colourants. The one above has been amended with 4% copper carbonate, a compound that keeps yielding great results in different glaze mixes; this time, a blueish patchy effect which I really like.

Apparently copper carbonate melts much better than the oxide form, allowing it to disperse better, giving more even results. I tested the same amount of copper oxide and it looks quite similar, but there's something more special about this one.

It's always nice to see your own ceramics being used with love.

This medium sized salad bowl was beautified with a lovely looking summer salad.

Thank you for the photos.

I have dreams of me sipping iced americanos out of these. Now perhaps you can too.

Come say hi on the 4th of June at the pop up market at hosted by .in.cyprus.

I'm super happy with the results of my first stoneware glaze tests. Still a few materials to play around with but my first try has yielded some colours and textures that I can't wait to apply to some new designs I've been working on. 

Since starting my studio here in Cyprus, I haven't had the chance to get into higher temperature glazes. I've been wanting to start this process for a while so, thank you, .that.studio for letting me take care of Anton in your absence. 

He and I will be hanging out for the next few months, I'm hoping this relationship will be a fruitful one.

All these vases have now gone to loving homes and that makes me so happy.

My shelves are empty after the recent sale. Now onto new things.