When I first started working with porcelain, I was delighted by its similarities to paper – lightweight, pure white, with the ability to be made so thin that light passes through it. I began experimenting with porcelain clay as a medium treated like paper – folded, crinkled, torn – with similar aesthetic qualities but with additional functional purposes. Though it appears fine and delicate, porcelain is considered one of the strongest and most durable ceramic materials. It is also notoriously hard to work with – warping, cracking, and shattering altogether before making it to a completed piece. But the pieces that make it through the process could last – theoretically – for thousands of years.
I think that every artist finds their own meaning in the medium they choose to work with. Working with porcelain gives me a sense of connection to the earth and its elements, the changing of forms, like some secret alchemy. The process of making a finished porcelain piece – after all – includes the earth, air, fire, and water. And heat. Lots and lots of heat. Specifically, it requires at least one firing in the kiln at more than 1000°C for around ten hours. If work is glazed, it takes a second trip into the kiln at more than 1200°C. My tarot cards take a third trip into the kiln, as they are finished with real gold and mother of pearl luster.
The addition of gold is the most tedious part of the process – using pure gold dust, dissolved into organic acid, suspended in a solvent-based solution, then painted on with tiny brushes. During firing, the solvent burns off, and the gold bonds permanently to the glazed porcelain beneath it. Altogether, it takes several weeks for the deck of porcelain tarot cards to be handmade from start to finish. Not every piece makes it to the end. The ones that do feel like treasures – holding meaning unique to whoever is holding it in their hands.
XIX The Sun. XVIII The Moon. XIX The Star. XXI The World. The meaning these symbols hold has changed across time and cultures and surely will continue to do so. My tarot cards will always hold the positive intention with which I make everyone. May they bring joy, clarity, or simply just a bit of curiosity and wonder!
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When I first started working with porcelain I was delighted by its similarities to paper – lightweight, pure white, with the ability to be made so thin that light passes through it
I began experimenting with porcelain clay as a medium that could be treated like paper – folded, crinkled, torn – with similar aesthetic qualities, but with additional functional purposes
Though it appears fine and delicate, porcelain is considered to be one of the strongest and most durable ceramic materials. It is also notoriously hard to work with – warping, cracking and shattering all together before it makes it to a completed piece
But the pieces that make it through the process could last, theoretically, for thousands of years
I think that every artist finds their own meaning in the medium they choose to work with. For me, working with porcelain gives me a sense of connection to the earth and its elements, the changing of forms. Like some sort of secret alchemy
The process of making a finished porcelain piece – after all – includes earth, air, fire and water. And heat. Lots and lots of heat
To be specific, it requires at least one firing in the kiln at more than 1000°C for around ten hours
If a work is glazed, it takes a second trip into the kiln at more than 1200°C. My tarot cards take a third trip into the kiln, as they are finished with real gold and mother of pearl luster
The addition of gold is the most tedious part of the process – using pure gold dust, dissolved into an organic acid, suspended in a solvent based solution, then painted on with tiny brushes
During firing the solvent burns off and the gold bonds permanently to the glazed porcelain beneath it
All together, it takes several weeks for deck of porcelain tarot cards to be handmade from start to finish
Not every piece makes it to the end. The ones that do feel like treasures – holding meaning unique to whoever is holding it in their hands
XIX The Sun. XVIII The Moon. XIX The Star. XXI The World. The meaning these symbols hold has changed across time and cultures, and surely will continue to do so
The one thing my tarot cards will always hold is the positive intention with which I make each and every one
May they bring joy, clarity or simply just a bit of curiosity and wonder
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