Our Clay

Needless to say, all pottery begins with the clay, in our case it is red clay that is dug from the earth here in Portugal. This is the clay that is used to create earthenware, an amazing rustic material that has been used for the purpose of creating vessels since human pre-history. One of humanity's earliest technologies, it is both sustainable and natural. 

After extraction, it must be processed to remove any impurities. This is a multi-step technique that is very technical. The clay must be sieved and strained for any unwanted particles, like limestone deposits or even small stones. Then it will be pugged and extruded to eliminate air bubbles. Any stray materials that remain in the clay could easily result in unwanted blemishes in the glazed surface or to cracked and ultimately broken pots emerging from the kiln, squandering many hours of diligent work. This is the foundation and cannot be hurried.