Pierre Bounaud Ceramics

When I posted last about scaling up, this is what I mean. I’ve been making the size on the right for a while. Very manageable and on a similar scale to my porcelain orbs. The middle and left pieces are explorations in size and scale. They are drying at the moment. They will be cleaned up, colored (maybe?), and low fired. The bigger the piece the more surface decoration I can play with. So many options 😋

Building big(-ger) 😳 First time moving to such a scale, with a deep feeling of curiosity and some questions. But no fear. So far so good 😅

Fabulous first day at the show! Always fun to meet old friends and new people 🥰 We are back at it tomorrow starting at 10am until 5pm at the center. Lots of one of a kind handmade ceramics by local potters. Come for yourself or for a gift!.

Putting all those new vases I’ve been making to work 😁 I paired Mexican sage flowers with a new matte crystalline glaze that makes beautiful dark blue crystals 😍 Next show is this weekend with in Balboa Park.

I got to play in my mom’s ceramic studio because that’s what potters do on vacation 🤣 I tried a local porcelain which made me appreciate the one I use back home 😳 I never used a clay that can be soft and hard at the same time! It is dense when thick and super floppy when thin. Working with slabs makes it a challenge. And it breaks apart easily when cut with a dull knife or a pin tool. Somehow I managed to hand build a mug. Yeah! It helped I paid attention to every steps I did and adjusted with how the clay reacted. It really shows that each clay body has a specific character that a potter needs to take the time to understand. But I sure hope that there is a better porcelain body for the local potters!!!

Large bowl of colorful on the coffee table

I am super excited to join the family!!! My page is now live and I already got my first sale 🎉 I’m looking forward to sharing my work to a broader audience. Feeling good 😌

New vases unloaded.

A big thank you to all who came out to the pop-up sale from and myself! I can relax now 🤣🍷

Yep it’s was yesterday but in this house every day is national pet day, or should I say Nani day 🤣 Meet Nani, my studio manager and life coach.

Nani the studio manager declared Saturday April 13 Spring Cleaning Pop-Up Sale! Need to make room in the studio for more chew toys. She is a tough boss 😅

Lots of discounted work for sale. One day only.
I’m also pleased to have two wonderful guest artists with me, (jeweler) and (painter). Check out their work!

See link in comments for details and address.

Sharing something interesting that happened this weekend and hoping people will share their own experience. I had to run a decal firing at cone 05 and I thought let’s try a few decals on crystalline glazes for the fun of it.
Exhibit A are two small bowls with the same zinc crystalline glaze with nickel oxide. The piece on the right is the fired piece, typical blue crystals over a gold background. The piece on the left is post decal firing, with the same crystals and the background turned blue.
Exhibit B is a mug with a different zinc glaze base with nickel oxide. Pre-decal was the typical blue crystals on gold background. Post-decal the glaze has turned a matte blue.
My hypothesis is that more micro crystals started to form at cone 06-05 and got trapped in the matrix before they had a chance to form macro crystals. Any thoughts? Tagging too for additional insight.

Finally happy how this large bowl is turning out. Only took three glaze firings! The application was never enough, always needed a bit more to grow the crystals and fill the space. Feels like an addiction now that I write it 🤣 Also very happy that the piece remained intact through the multiple firings. It is often a gamble to refire porcelain, especially a large shallow piece. Filing that under things we have to go through as potters 😁
Tip of the day: adding screenprinting medium to your glaze to make your glaze into a sticky paste when applying over a glaze surface. I need to handle hot pieces 🥵

This is the real life in the studio. To remind you that you are loved. 🥰

Happy belated Spring! The equinox was early this year and snuck up on me 😁 Now is the start of my favorite part of the year 🌸 Featured here is a new design I call Half Moon Vase. The flat elevated surface features crystals floating on the glaze in a unique pattern. The little bowl in the center has a frog to pin cut flowers in for small arrangements. The bowl can also be switched for a tall narrow vase. It’s a different, elegant way to display cut flowers from the yard in your house and add more colors to a room.

Two virgin pieces in search of colors

I am teaching two handbuilding classes in April. One on Wednesdays 6-9pm at the Athenaeum Art Center in Barrio Logan and one at Cool Creations in Pacific Beach
Each class is 4 sessions, the first three dedicated to making a project during each session and the last class dedicated to glazing all the work produced.
The class is mainly focused on making functional wares like plates, bowls, cups and mugs. This is a great intro class for beginners who get to learn basic skills to make a wide range of pottery work. Intermediate and advanced students are also welcome to practice their skills and work on their own projects with 1-on-1 instruction.
For information and registration go to my profile for links. And feel free to DM me if you have questions!

I have seen some beautiful pre-columbian pottery in Costa Rica. Sharing a few here. Last one is a representation of a potter 😁
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Make it a bright new day in your life!
Love from Costa Rica
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This is where the rejects end up 😆 In my garden 🪴 They may have a small crack or a glaze defect, they still find a use. It’s part of nature.

Fun in the warm desert sun

Coming up this Saturday, you’ll find me in La Quinta for Art on Main Street

Squares within cubes. That’s my jam today.

The Mountain and the Sky. Geometrical sculpture from porcelain clay, terra sigillata, aluminum saggar firing, 2022. The main concept is a modern interpretation of landscape and nature representation through the use of the cube shape. Angles and geometry invite the viewer to explore each face individually and as a whole.

Golden Orb piece on display at for the Small Image Show. Opening reception is Saturday January 27 at 4:30pm.

All set up for this little gem of a show in today only.

Hi all! Last minute announcement for a one day show I’m doing this Saturday in La Quinta. This is my first time showing there so I’m very excited to showcase some of my work to the desert community. If you are in the area, come say hello! Cheers.

On tiptoes 😆