I've started to refer to my work as a studio potter as, small batch production. Every single item made in my studio is made by hand. From the start of the piece on the wheel to the fine stages of trimming and even glazing; I make all my own glazes. Each part of this process takes time and my studio is run by just me. When I throw mugs, I throw a "board" of mugs. This translates to 15 because that is the number of mugs that fit onto one of my boards at a time. That is a small batch. Nothing about what I do is mass-produced so when a piece is made, it is unique. Batch throwing also refers to a type of production. I am throwing each piece the same. The clay has been weighed out and then thrown to specific measurements and I do that for all 15 mugs in the batch so they can be as uniform as possible. Even though those mugs may look all the same, they have their own subtle anomalies. This is a quality I love about the hand-made: each piece is made with care and intention, but unique. This is true in my glazing as well - especially in crystalline glazing. I mix the glaze the same every time, but each firing gives different results as far as crystal growth is concerned. Some crystal growth is incredible and profound and other times it is a let-down. I share this bit about production because I think it sheds light on how things are made and puts a better value on the price that follows a piece. You can be confident in your purchase and celebrate the craft and work that went into it.
