Tools

All my work is handbuilt. In the world of clay handbuilding means made without the use of a wheel. I use a slabroller to flatten the clay for some of my pieces but generally speaking it is my hands that take care of the bulk of the work. Needless to say, my hands are by far the two most important tools that I bring to work every day.

They wedge, flatten, shape, form and create. After years of working with clay they know how to feel levels of dryness and can tell me when a piece is ready for the kiln. And they are pretty good at feeling the thickness of the clay and assist with measuring. But there are things they can’t do for me and that’s where my favourite tools come in.

My most treasured tools are rubber ribs that help to smoothe and finish the surface of each piece. I wear through a fair amount of these as the clay is strong and resistant. Once I have achieved a smooth surface, I grab my needle tool and carry on with incising the different patterns into the surface of the clay. I have a considerable collection of these at hand as I use a different sharpness for the various tasks. The needle tools wear out over time and get sharpened as needed.

I have included an image of some of the other tools on my worktable. I use and value them all.