Ceramic Brooch　A Piano with a Heart

The keys I touched in an empty classroom… The lessons I attended, carrying my Bayer method book… That lovely girl who always accompanied me… My favourite pianist, whose music soothes my soul… Piano memories that seem unlikely, yet seem quite possible. Size: Approx. 25 × 30 mm (H × W) Material: Ceramic ‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥‥ Production process, etc. Based on a sketch, I shape the clay, allow it to dry slightly, and refine the form—repeating this process several times. It takes around one month to produce enough pieces to fill the kiln evenly. I bisque-fire them for 7 hours, remove them, wipe them with water, apply glaze to each piece individually, and then fire them for 12 hours. Depending on the piece, I may apply a gold glaze and return them to the kiln for a further 7 hours. As they need to cool slowly, I wait about two days after each firing before removing them from the kiln. I then handle each piece individually and attach a pin to the ones that meet my standards. At present, my success rate is around 70 per cent. Although this process requires a great deal of time and effort, the result is well worth it: decorative brooches that combine the tactile quality of the clay, the strength of the pottery, the lustre of the glaze and the sparkle of the gold accents. I believe these are pieces that can be enjoyed for many years to come.