Each of my porcelain art pieces begins as a glazed china blank.  The blank acts as a canvas for the design and materials which are applied in the many stages to follow.

Some designs are sketched onto the china, while others develop as the lustres are applied.  The lustres I use are liquid solutions of metallic salts, bismuth, resin and oils which are applied and fired several times, as lustres generally do not successfully mix together.  Some lustres have a metallic appearance while others have an iridescence which produces beautiful effects under light.  Lustres are overglazes and thus are best used on decorative items as heavy use may create scratches in the finish.

One challenge of painting china with lustres, rather than with traditional china paints, is that lustres before firing are always red, brown, or yellow liquids.  So one must imagine the finished product, and the artist sees the design in its intended hues only when the lid of the kiln is opened and the cooled piece is removed.  Sometimes the results are surprising and the original design idea evolves into something altogether new.

Creating contemporary porcelain artworks encourages the adventurous use of a variety of materials to enhance the basic design.  These include glass beads, enamels, dichroic glass, fiberglass clippings, and a clay paste known as "structure" which is used to create texture and dimensional effects on the smooth porcelain.

Lustreffect artworks may have been fired six or ten times, or even more.  Each firing requires many hours in the kiln as it is brought up slowly to 1285 degrees and then cools naturally.