Handmade ceramics

Process

TAV Ceramics is rooted in the belief of crafting pieces that are made to last. The focus of our handmade ceramics lies not just in functionality and simplicity, but also in creating designs that are timeless and can easily transition between generations. We are motivated by the aspiration to have our pieces in homes and restaurants around the world.
Our ceramics studio is based in East Vancouver, BC, Canada in a building filled with other artists (ceramicists, painters, fiber artists, jewelers, woodworkers and so many more) so we are constantly surrounded by creativity and design.

Every piece in our handmade collection has a unique production process, which entails a variety of individual steps. We use a strong stoneware clay for our pieces so they can handle the robust use of a household. No delicate china here!

Everything starts with just a lump of clay. The clay is first wedged (which is a lot like kneading dough) to make it homogenous and ready for the wheel.
It is then slammed on the wheel head, centered and shaped into what it needs to be. No matter the time constraints, this part simply can’t be hurried. The clay almost forces you to slow down, to sit with it a while. Once the shape is thrown, it is taken off the wheel and allowed to evenly and slowly dry overnight to a state called ‘leather-hard’.
The clay is still soft at this stage and needs to be handled carefully so that it doesn’t warp. The piece is secured and centered on the wheel and then trimmed away with special tools where its final shape emerges. It is then smoothed over with rubber tools and once again goes through a drying stage until all the moisture has gone and the piece is ‘bone-dry’.
It’s imperative that pieces are completely dry before their first firing (bisque) or they can crack and explode in the kiln. A bisque firing cycle takes about 24 hours from start to until the kiln is cool enough to open and unload.
Bisqued pots are then dunked in a food safe glaze (developed in-house) and allowed to dry for a day before making their way back into the kiln for their second and final glaze firing. A glaze fire cycle usually takes about 30 hours from start to finish and reaches a peak temperature of 1200C at which point the clay vitrifies and becomes functional for everyday use. For comparison, most commercial convection ovens top out at 250C. So just a tad bit hotter! ;)
Once glaze fired, pots are unloaded, divvied into stacks and scanned for visual flaws and inconsistencies to make sure only the most perfect ones are set aside for our website and retailers. ‘Seconds’ are pieces that have minor blemishes or imperfections and are sold at our samples and seconds sale for heavily discounted rates.

Lastly, all pieces are sanded smooth and washed to make them ready to be packed up in boxes and shipped to your homes! All of our packaging is plastic free—we use a sustainable, biodegradable, and recyclable paper alternative to traditional bubble wrap called Geami. The packing peanuts used to secure your piece in transit are also 100% biodegradable and water soluble. Simply dissolve them down your sink – they are made of cornstarch and will not affect your plumbing in any way.

We really enjoy crafting handmade ceramics for you and hope that you enjoy them for many, many, MANY years to come!