Wood Fired Swirl Mug with Goldspot and Tenmoku Glaze
Wood Fired Swirl Mug with Goldspot and Tenmoku Glaze
This handmade wood fired pottery mug brings together rich earthy clay tones and flowing atmospheric glaze in a comfortable form. Soft blue-black glaze cascades over the upper portion of the mug, melting into warm golden tan and iron-rich surfaces below. The swirled profile and hand-pulled handle create a mug that feels both substantial and inviting, while the natural variation from the wood firing ensures that the mug is completely unique.
Ash, flame, and kiln atmosphere worked together during the firing to create subtle movement and depth across the surface, making this an especially distinctive handmade ceramic mug for daily use or collection.
Details
This mug stands approximately 4.25" tall and measures about 3.5" across the lip. It comfortably holds 13 ounces when filled to the brim. The form features a hand-pulled handle and a shape designed for comfort. All of my pottery is food safe, microwave safe, and dishwasher safe.
Use
A versatile size for coffee, tea, cider, hot chocolate, or other favorite beverages. The rounded form fits naturally in the hands and offers a satisfying weight and feel, making it well suited for slow mornings, cozy evenings, or daily ritual.
Process
This pot was thrown on my pottery wheel using Sonoran White, a stoneware clay. While still wet, a rubber rib was used to press through the walls of the mug, forming the wet clay into a swirl shape. When the mug was leather hard (partially dry, wet but firm) I attached and shaped the handle by hand.
This piece was fired in a wood-burning kiln at Desert Dragon Pottery Studio in North Phoenix. Unlike electric or gas kilns, wood firing relies entirely on burning wood to build heat and atmosphere inside the kiln. As the kiln is stoked, flame, ash, and minerals from the burning wood move naturally around the pottery, creating organic surface markings, flashing, and subtle color transitions that cannot be replicated through glazing alone.
The kiln used is a fast-fire wood kiln that reaches temperature in approximately 12 hours. The dynamic nature of wood firing means each piece responds differently to its placement within the kiln, resulting in truly one-of-a-kind works that capture the spontaneity and beauty of the firing process.
