Small Stoneware Candle Holder with Sea Surf Glaze

Small, pinched candle holder in a rough, warm-coloured stoneware, with dry turquoise glaze trailed over unglazed clay.  A pale, translucent glaze covers the inside, which glows a wonderful, warm orange when lit with a tealight.

One tealight included.

Dimensions (measured by hand, so please allow for small inconsistencies):

Approximately 7.5-8cm or 3 1/8" in diameter, and 6.5cm or 2 5/8" in height.

Inspired by a love of Western Celtic shorelines and seascapes, I hand build ceramic vessels fired to stoneware temperature. Shapes are figurative, featuring vivid turquoise glaze that reflects the influence of the sea and landscape.

I begin the process with drawings of landscapes, shorelines and pebbles, then work through ideas using developmental sketches and experimentations in clay.

The pieces are fired to stoneware temperature, and feature dry turquoise and blue glaze. White glazes add variation through effects created when glazes overlap. I use differently textured clays, including a dark red, toasted buff and a white firing clay, all of which react in various ways, altering the intensity of colour in the glaze. The application of slips, sgraffito and resist techniques add further depth to the surfaces.

More recently, work has been developed from drawings of ancient objects, tools and rock carvings found in coastal regions of Wales and Scotland. I am intrigued by the mystery surrounding these carvings, and the fact that humans have always had a desire to leave their creative mark.

I work from my home in North Wales.

Kirsti Hannah Brown