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The Journey of the Stoned Denim Spaceship Bowl: Shaping Clay to Final Glaze

Writer's picture: Sydney KennedySydney Kennedy

Discovering the Creative Process Behind a Unique Ceramic Piece: Inspiration to Final Form


The Journey of the Stoned Denim Spaceship Bowl: From Clay to Completion


When I started throwing what would eventually become the Stoned Denim Spaceship Bowl, I had a very different idea in mind. My goal was to push myself out of my comfort zone and create a large ceramic serving bowl-a step forward in my journey with handmade pottery. I've been trying to improve my skills with larger pieces, and creating something both functional and fun is always a priority in my work. Naturally, I wanted to experiment with the design to make this bowl stand out.


A Funky Twist on a Simple Bowl

Hands opening a lump of centered clay

As I neared the end of the throwing process, I felt like doing something a bit funky. That same day, my husband and I had been chatting about aliens (as one does!), and the idea sparked—I thought it would be cool to design a stoneware bowl that resembled a spaceship. So, I started pressing indentations along the sides, imagining how the glaze might break across the different surfaces and give it a unique look. I wasn’t sure exactly how it would turn out, but but that’s part of the excitement of creating handcrafted pottery—every piece is an opportunity to push creative boundaries.


The Surprise of Glazing


For this piece, I chose the stoned denim glaze. It’s one of my favorites because of how it usually plays with texture—showing brown on the smoother parts and breaking blue in the more textured areas. But as the bowl took shape, with its tall, vertical sides and deep indentations, I started to wonder if it might surprise me in the kiln.


And surprise me it did! When I pulled it out of the glaze firing, I found that the blue dominated, with very little of the usual brown showing through. I should have known the glaze would be more blue due to the vertical shape. Unpredictability is one of the things that keeps ceramics so captivating. Every firing brings its own surprises, and I’m always eager to see how the kiln transforms my work.



Handmade ceramic bowl with a stoned denim glaze and a whimsical spaceship design

The Spaceship Vibe


The "spaceship" element in this handcrafted bowl really came from the shape—the way the indentations and curves gave it a futuristic, out-of-this-world feel. While the glaze didn’t quite give off the "space" vibe I was hoping for, I love how it turned out. I’m already thinking about trying different glazes next time to give future spaceship bowls an even more cosmic look.



Pushing My Limits


This piece was a challenge for me in a few ways. It’s one of the larger handcrafted ceramic bowls I’ve made, and I wasn’t sure if the clay would hold together with the various indentations. The caved-in areas meant the bowl had less structural support in those spots, and I was crossing my fingers that everything would work out. Thankfully, the clay cooperated, and I ended up with a piece that feels both sturdy and playful—exactly the balance I strive for in my functional ceramics.


The Beauty of Unexpected Creations


The Stoned Denim Spaceship Bowl is a reminder to me that ceramics is full of surprises—whether it's the shape of the piece, how the glaze breaks, or how the clay holds up under pressure. It’s one of the things I love most about the craft, and I can’t wait to experiment with even more "spaceship" bowls in the future.


Thanks for following along on this piece’s journey! Stay tuned—I’ll dive deeper into the magic of kiln firing in a future post.


Explore My Collection: Visit my shop to see the latest creations and find a piece that resonates with your story. Every purchase supports an artist’s dream and helps me continue to create from the heart. Let’s build a community that values courage, creativity, and the beauty of handmade art. I can’t wait to see which piece speaks to you!

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