Wild Clay
Part of my practice involves collecting clays from natural sources and using them in my pottery, providing a direct connection between the object and the landscape.
I utilize wild clay in several ways in my work, but nearly exclusively for decoration. This allows me to leverage the natural ingredients without requiring the amount of material necessary to make pots entirely from wild clays, which would incur an undue burden on the landscape. I prefer to go lightly, taking only a small amount of clay and practice leave-no-trace ethics in gathering materials.
I generally collect clay while traveling in the high desert landscapes of Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and Washington. On occasion I find suitable clay in unexpected places - road cuts, beaches, landslides.
Testing is an immense effort. I generally test all materials I collect at cone 04 (1945F) and cone 6 (2235F) in small bowls on each of my standard clay bodies. I also perform glaze tests, often in combination with wood stove ash, or other materials, and slip tests. Most slips are ball-milled in preparation for use.
