Common Ground - 012

Processing the clays is a slow and laborious process. The clay from all 56 states and territories have been mixed together and then set to soak in large tubs of water. Then they are pushed through a series of screens from the largest openings to the smallest, to remove rocks and other impurities. The clean clay is then laid out on large drying tables where it dries into sheets or clay that are about 1/2”- 1” thick. Then those are broken into pieces, put into large tubs and crushed with a sledge hammer. Then that is taken in smaller batches and pulverized in a mortar and pestle. The final powered clay is then mixed again to be sure that all of the 56 different clays are fully integrated into a single new clay. When this is finished, I will start mixing and testing glazes made from the clay, wood ash and water.