Shale glaze.

Ceramic glaze developed using only shale, quartz and waste wood ash.

Material

Ceramic
Minerals and stone

Craft

Ceramics and pottery-making

General Technique

Combining
Other

Specific Technique

Glaze development

Properties & Qualities

Application

Product

Qualities

3D, Shiny

Colour

Black, Brown

Sample Information

Date of creation

09/01/2023

Culture & Context

Wardie Bay features a outcrop of sedimentary black rock, resembling a staircase. It is also littered with flattish black stones. It turns out that this rock is Bituminous Shale, also known as Oil Shale. I was attracted to this rock as it is great for skimming, it is also quite soft and easy to crush. The Lothians have a long history with Shale and this glaze is a nod to this.

Process & Production

I sourced the shale from Wardie Bay in Edinburgh and the quartz on a walk near Inverary. The wood ash is sourced from friends as a waste product. I carry out a glaze test shown in the first photo to blend these three components together in 20 different combinations. I selected the glaze on the far right one from the top.

Recipe Details

Shale – 65

Ash – 20

Quartz – 20

Credits

Craft Maker

George Perry

Library Contributor

George Perry

Photographer

George Perry