FAQs
TakeAway Clay kits
- How do I get my hands on one of these clay kits?
WELL - you simply contact me - website, email, DM, PM mobile - whatever suits. I can send you EFT details or you can pay in cash. Or simply order your kits online with the
- How do I get it?
I will locally deliver or if out of area, I can post. Shipping costs apply. You can always source a Kiln/ceramic studio near your house for firing if required.
- Do I sell only the clay?
No, I take time and care to pack a lovely kit ready for that special occasion. If you would like to buy clay I would suggest heading online to your local ceramic store and ordering a bag of clay. I do offer a FIRING service and details can be found in the KILN FIRING TAB at the top of this page.
- What do I need to start?
NOT MUCH -
- A cloth or wooden board to work on
- a rolling pin or tube/bottle if you want to roll a slab
- tiniest bit of water to cleanup your clay or if it dries slightly - BUT NOT TOO MUCH! Instructions are included with all you need.
- What do I do when I’m finished making?
CONGRATS! You’ve made a clay baby or two. So lovingly set them aside somewhere safe and gently wrapped in a plastic bag to dry out slowly for a few weeks. Then once the colour of the clay starts lighten the clay is drying out. The pieces become very fragile at this stage. You can ever so gently wrap each piece up in cloth or bubble wrap and deliver to my studio. You can pick a glaze on the Bisque Ticket or give me a colour and I will pick one for you (I’m pretty good at that you know). I will let it dry COMPLETELY and then fire it once (Bisque Firing) and Glaze and put it back in the kiln for a final glaze firing.
- How many pieces will your glaze?
As each piece requires either 3 layers of glaze, this takes time. Your kit costs includes glazing of 2 to 4 pieces. I will not glaze hundreds of beads. You may find it easier to apply acrylic paint or spray paint once fired if you have made many small pieces. You can also purchase your own glaze colour/s and I can fire for you if you prefer to glaze the pieces your self and a unique colour to your own tastes.
When glazing yourself DO NOT glaze on the base of each piece, as the glaze melts in the kiln and will adhere to the kiln shelf. This is bad as the piece may require a hammer to remove it. Best to ask me if you go down this glaze path. TheRE are many instructional clips on YouTube on beginners brush on glazing.
- Is the clay ok for mugs and can I put the mug in the dishwasher?
YEP! It sure is and can go into the dishwasher after the piece has been in the glaze firing.
- Is the clay toxic?
NOPE! All clay is non toxic but in saying that, don’t eat raw clay, that’s just silly!! The glazes that I use in my studio are food-safe as well. That’s important to know as in the old days many glazes contained lead and that stuff is voodoo.
- How long will the clay stay malleable/ damp/moist/user friendly?
As long as it has moisture in the clay it is workable and all clay can be rehydrated with a little water spray. However, I would recommend you keep your clay bag sealed tight in its storage bag for up to 3 months. If it starts to dry give it a bit of a spray over the course of a week and it will rehydrate.
- Can I post my work to you for firing?
NOT THE BEST IDEA, as it is extremely fragile, I can post it back to you in a secured package. Drop off at my studio is best or look up a local ceramic studio for firing.
- How do I get my pieces fired?
SIMPLE - drop them off to my studio, packed in a little box with your Bisque Ticket filled in and labelled. I will ensure they are completely dry before they go into the kiln for bisque firing. Mobile number and Name on the box. Write/carve your name/initials into the base of your piece as well.
Can I chose colours and patterns for you to glaze my work?
- NOPE - sorry this is a single glaze service only. Single colours nylon unless you purchase your own glaze and you can drop off to the studio one you are finished glazing.
WELL, patience is a virtue, particularly in clay making
Drying time varies from 2/3 weeks weather depending and firing can take up to a week depending on the kiln schedules. I will contact you for pickup when the pieces are ready.
Ceramic Workshops
What to expect at a workshop
The process:
- Book your ticket, bring a friend or so along with you.
- Arrive at the event with an E-ticket ready for checkin. I will have a complimentary glass of wine, bubbles or tea/coffee ready for you.
- We will get stuck into a demonstration and off you go. If we are underglazing on the evening we will do this in the second part of the workshop.
- I’ll sort the rest from their and contact you in a few weeks for pickup or if you would like postage, we can arrange that as well.
Learn hand building pottery techniques at home with the undivided attention and tuition from Sharron from smountain ceramics.
In each workshop, we will focus on particular hand-building pottery techniques. I will do a step by step demonstration and by the end of the session, you will have made your own ceramic wares and found a sense of mindfulness and selfcare.
Please note: Your piece will not be complete at the end of the session as it will need to be fired.
In my studio I dry your wares then load them in the kiln for the first and second firing of your piece.
The firing process will take two to three weeks. You can either pick up your final piece or can pay for additional freight to be shipped back to the your home.
Knowledge Required
All workshops cater for a range of abilities. Participants with knowledge in clay will be given more technical challenges if they prefer.
What you'll get in the workshops
- Clay
- Use of all equipment and tools
- Specialty glazes for colouring
- Twice Firing for Bisque and Glaze firing.
- Drop off to the workshop location or pre arranged delivery.- a few hours of mindfulness and self-care
What you'll need
- Covered shoes
- A sense of adventure
- BYO nibbles or BYO drinks if so desired
Suitable for
Most workshops are family friendly unless otherwise stated. An adult must be present in all workshops where alcohol may be served.
Host your own workshop
Special event or just because - Hens events, baby showers, birthdays, team building, family gatherings and more. Contact Sharron for a personalised event in your own space with all the mess and fuss taken care of.
Supporters and Stockists
S.Mountain Ceramics is a bespoke ceramics studio and workshop for makers based in Faulconbridge, nestled in the Blue Mountains NSW.
All of my pieces are made in-house and by hand using clays sourced from our Australian landscape. The surfaces are inspired by the landscapes, plants and intricate weather systems that span the environment of the Blue Mountains. Each piece is a reflection of the colours of the day. I fire to the highest stoneware temperatures with food-safe glazes to ensure the most durable, functional products possible.
Many of my stockists are also part of my regional workshops. As a maker they’re is nothing more enriching than sharing skills and knowledge, passing on the mindfulness and joy that ceramics enables. If you would like to host workshops in your space, contact Sharron at smountainceramics@gmail.com
makers know, enjoy the experience ‘cause making doesn’t always turn out the way you see it on Instagram’. Things can and do happen - ceramic pieces can explode (very dramatic I know but it does happen), they can crack, pieces can fall off if not attached firmly by scoring and using slurry and sealing the edges, blowouts can occur, glazes are a whole other story - crazing, cracking, blistering, lifting… such a joy is this craft that it takes years and years to work though these issues. It can be devastating but resilience is the key. So fingers crossed and we shall pray to the Kiln gods each time the kiln is turned on and as I believe after many Clay disasters in my making - enjoy the process not the product. 😉