How I Start a New Pottery Collection

New collection coming in early December. Join the mailing list for early access: https://www.oyuceramics.com/mailing-list


A new collection. A clean slate. A fresh start.

Every time I begin a new production cycle, I start from scratch. I never carry unfinished pieces over from the previous one. Once a collection is finished, the shelves are cleared and I begin again.

For me, this is always one of the most challenging parts of the process. I rarely have a clear idea of what the next collection will look like, which forms I'll focus on or where the work will take me. This time, the only thing I know for certain is which kiln I'll be firing in.

So instead of spending too much time planning, I decided to just start making.

I went back to two familiar forms: small, organic sake cups and more traditional teabowls. They're quite different in shape and character, but both are simple enough to help me get back into the rhythm of working at the wheel after a couple of months away.

I'm using white stoneware, with around 180g of clay for each teacup and 200g for each sake cup. I'm also planning to use some of these pieces to test new glazes, so I'm not being particularly strict about measurements or making every cup identical.

Over time, I've realised that this approach works best for me. Rather than designing an entire collection in advance, I prefer to let the work develop naturally. I make things, see what comes out of my hands, and decide what to explore next as I go.

This is just the beginning. The new collection is planned for release in early December, and this time I want to share more of what happens behind the scenes - from the first pieces on the wheel to glazing, firing and selecting the finished work.

Thanks for being here and following along.

____________________________________________


Music in this video

Epidemic Sound
Sign up with this link to get a 30-day free trial
▶ https://share.epidemicsound.com/icukbw

____________________________________________


0:00 Intro
0:21 Wedging
2:40 Sake Cups
6:18 Teabowls
9:10 Trimming