Wood Fired Woo Blue Dented Dotted Cup
Wood Fired Woo Blue Dented Dotted Cup
This handmade wood-fired ceramic cup reveals the beautiful unpredictability of wood firing. Flowing ribbons of blue, cream, honey, and soft lavender move across the surface, creating a landscape of color that could never be duplicated. A gently dented form accented with small raised dots invite your hands to settle naturally around the cup.
Comfortable to hold and thoughtfully proportioned, this versatile cup is equally suited to quiet mornings with coffee, afternoon tea, or an evening pour of wine or whiskey. Every angle reveals new layers of glaze movement and surface color, adding joy to every sip.
Details
The cup stands 3.75" tall, and measures 3.5" across the rim. This cup holds 12 ounces when full, or it can hold about 8 or 9 ounces of hot beverage in the belly, leaving the neck cool and easy to grasp.
Use
Holding approximately 12 ounces, this cup is a wonderful everyday companion for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cider, or your favorite cold beverages. It also makes a beautiful wine cup, cocktail tumbler, or small serving vessel for desserts or snacks. The rounded form fits comfortably in the hand, while its unique wood-fired surface brings warmth and character to daily routine. Whether enjoyed every morning or displayed among a collection, this cup offers both beauty and function.
Process
The cup was thrown on my pottery wheel using BMix clay, a white stoneware. While still wet, the edge of a wooden rib was used to press a dent into the belly of the cup. I applied a few small dots of white slip (a blend of clay and water) just below the dent. This shape and texture makes the cup nice to hold, and it provides the glaze something to pool and flow around. The cup was glazed in goldspot glaze on the interior, and woo blue glaze around the lip and top inch or so. The glaze was encouraged to drip down and around the dent, and the rest of the exterior was left unglazed.
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.
