Commissions & Collaborations: From Sketch to Table

Every commission is a dialogue. Clay is my medium, but conversation is the starting point. When someone asks me to create a piece—or a whole set—it begins with listening: what mood should the work carry, how will it be used, what stories should it hold? From there, sketches, samples, and firings move the idea from possibility to presence.

Commissions and collaborations are not about duplication. They are about translating a vision into clay, guided by touch, glaze, and fire. This page is an overview of how I approach the process—what I love to make, how we begin, what I ask from you, and how the work unfolds.

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What I Love to Make

Functional Sets
I often create work intended for daily rituals: cups that feel right in the hand, bowls that invite gathering at the table, plates that hold both food and atmosphere. Commissioning a set allows for unity while keeping the individuality of handmade work. No two are exactly the same, yet they belong to one another, like family.

Centerpieces
Some collaborations call for singular presence: a vessel at the center of a room, a large platter on a communal table, or sculptural forms that bridge utility and art. These pieces lean into scale and silhouette, often becoming anchors around which conversation gathers.

What excites me most is when functional and expressive overlap—when a daily cup also carries the presence of sculpture, or when a platter functions as both server and canvas. (Learn more about my practice on the About page.)

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How We Begin

Every commission begins with intention. Before clay is touched, I ask questions and invite images in words.

Intent
What will this piece or set do in your life? Is it for daily meals, ceremonial gatherings, a gift, or a public space? Intent shapes form more than measurements.

Palette in Words
Glaze colors shift in fire, so I often ask for mood and palette in descriptive words rather than strict swatches: “earth after rain,” “soft smoke,” “pale horizon,” or “charcoal with warmth.” These become guides more than prescriptions, allowing fire to interpret alongside us.

Quantities
Whether a set of six bowls or a single centerpiece, knowing quantities early helps me design proportion and consistency. Small runs allow more variation; larger runs create rhythm across the table.

Commissions begin not with control but with shared imagination, expressed in language that clay can carry forward.

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Making Timeline by Phases

Commissions follow a rhythm, moving through phases that give shape and depth to the work. There are no strict dates or prices here—only stages that outline how we progress together.

Discovery
We begin by talking: your ideas, my questions, shared references. This is where intent and palette take form. I may sketch possibilities, showing silhouettes, proportions, or potential glaze treatments.

Samples
For many projects, I create a small group of samples. These are not final pieces but explorations: a cup in two glaze variations, a plate with different rim curves. Samples help both of us see what words alone cannot convey.

Build
Once we align on direction, I move into full making. Clay is wedged, forms are thrown or hand-built, and sets are shaped with attention to balance. This is the longest phase, where rhythm and repetition allow pieces to belong together while still holding individuality.

Firing
Pieces move into the kiln, where fire adds its voice. Wood ash drifts, glazes run or pool, edges catch flashes of flame. No firing is identical, and this unpredictability is part of the collaboration.

Finishing
Once cooled, pieces are inspected, bottoms smoothed, and surfaces checked. I make notes—just as I do in the Studio Journal—recording surprises, lessons, and choices for future work. Then pieces are prepared for delivery, ready to live their next chapter with you.

This phased process ensures that both intention and discovery are honored, moving from sketch to table with care.

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What I Need from You

Commissions are collaborations. To guide the making, I ask for certain details.

Use
Tell me how you plan to use the piece. Daily meals? Occasional gatherings? Display? Knowing use shapes decisions about weight, durability, and glaze.

Sizes
Describe sizes in ways that connect to life: “fits a hearty salad,” “comfortable in the hand for tea,” or “large enough for center of a dining table.” Measurements help, but lived references guide better.

Mood in Words
Give me words to work with: calm, bold, quiet, celebratory. Describe colors through experiences—dusk sky, stormy coast, autumn leaf—rather than technical codes. Clay and fire respond more naturally to poetry than to exact formulas.

The more descriptive, the more I can translate your intent into form. Collaboration is strongest when you share not just numbers but feelings.

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Care for Commissioned Pieces

Once a piece leaves the studio, its story continues with you. Commissioned works deserve the same attentiveness as small-batch releases.

• Daily Care: Wash with gentle soap and cloth, allow full drying before storage.
  
• Heat Awareness: Avoid sudden shifts from cold to hot, or hot to cold, to prevent thermal shock.
  
• Patina & Aging: Expect subtle changes over time. Glazes may soften, edges may polish, and surfaces may carry traces of use. These are part of the piece’s character.
  
• Chips & Cracks: If accidents happen, safety comes first. Retire cracked pieces from food use, but consider repurposing them as decorative or storage vessels.
  

For more guidance, see the Care & Use page.

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FAQ

Q: How long does a commission take?
A: Timelines vary by scope and kiln cycles. Instead of fixed dates, I share progress by phases—discovery, samples, build, firing, finishing.

Q: Can I request a glaze color to match something specific?
A: Yes, but I encourage descriptive words rather than precise codes. Fire interprets glazes in its own way. “Smoke grey with warmth” communicates better than an exact swatch.

Q: Do all pieces in a set look identical?
A: No. Handmade work holds variation. Pieces belong together like siblings, not clones. That individuality is part of their beauty.

Q: What happens if something goes wrong in firing?
A: Kiln surprises are part of the process. Some “unexpected” results become favorites; others are set aside. I make extra pieces to account for this unpredictability.

Q: Do you accept collaborative projects with designers or chefs?
A: Absolutely. Collaborations often spark new directions. I welcome projects where clay meets other disciplines.

Q: Can pieces be shipped internationally?
A: Yes, though details depend on size and fragility. Packaging is designed to protect each piece for travel.

Q: Do you take large commissions for events?
A: I consider them, though scale influences timeline. We would map intent, quantities, and phasing carefully.

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Closing Thoughts

Commissions and collaborations are not shortcuts to ownership. They are journeys—shared processes where clay and imagination meet. Each step, from sketch to kiln, holds space for surprise. Each finished piece carries the fingerprints of both maker and commissioner.

If you are considering a commission, the next step is simple: reach out. Tell me what you envision, even if only in fragments or moods. From there, we shape it together.

Explore my background on the About page, read reflections in the Studio Journal, review Care & Use for guidance, or begin a conversation directly on the Contact page.