Meet Our KIN : Picnic Ceramics

As you may know, ceramics have always been very close to our hearts here at KIN, and we are very excited to have discovered the exquisite work of Picnic! Johannesburg-based ceramicist Becky Love does justice to the history of this ancient and precious medium, with dainty, hand-painted ceramic pieces made into wearable jewellery items. We stock Picnic's brooches and gorgeous stud earrings, and are constantly delighted by the new patterns and designs when we open the latest delivery. Read on to find out more about Becky's process and what has inspired her to follow her instinct and create Picnic Ceramics.

Why did you start making your products?

I loved the look of ceramic jewelry (that wasn't in the form of beads) and hadn’t seen it available anywhere – what started out as making jewelery for myself, quickly turned into Picnic Ceramics as a way for other people to enjoy the unique look of ceramic jewellery too!

How are your products made?

Each piece of jewellery is cut from a fine slab of wet clay. It is then dried and smoothed before being bisque fired. Each piece is then hand painted (hence my never ending quest for finer and finer paint brushes), the paint is fired on and then each piece is glazed with transparent glaze before one last firing. Each part of the process is done entirely with my own two hands.

What is your favourite part of the process?

I love opening up the kiln after the pieces’ third and final firing and seeing all the fine details shine under their transparent glaze. It never gets old!

How did you learn to make what you do?
I have been working with clay for over 6 years and experimenting with making ceramic jewellery for the past 4 years. Picnic Ceramics jewellery is the result of all those years of experimentation to get strong and delicate ceramic jewellery.
What materials are your products made from?

Our jewellery is made from earthenware casting slip - this allows for lovely, refined results. They are all then high fired to ensure strength despite their delicate form.

Do you have different ranges under your brand?
Yes, I have the Wanderlust Range made up of either a Forest, Sea or Mountain design on brooches, earrings and necklaces – inspired by my absolute adoration for the great outdoors.

I also have the Half ‘n Half range where I play with colours that I currently love and then the Skyline Range – presently this range has only my home-city of Johannesburg’s skyline, in minimalist black lines.

Do you have an interesting tidbit for us?

Since graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering nearly two years ago – I leapt straight into working with clay full time. I had suspicions that engineering wasn't really my calling and since being in a pottery studio full time – I became certain almost immediately!

When I am not making jewelry, I am either teaching adults and children how to work with clay or creating my own thrown and then decorated ceramic vessels in the studio.

 
 Follow Picnic Ceramics on Facebook & Instagram.

KIN Colour Dipped Ceramics

Have you met our beautiful new ceramic bowls? This luscious pastel collection came from one of Chantal's many Oooooo-someone-should-maaaake-this moments. She asked Leslie of Eleven Hundred Ceramics to take up the challenge, and aren't the results just gorgeous?

These colour-dipped pretties come in eight different colours and three sizes:
Small for R70 (8.5cm wide)
Medium for R90 (10.5cm wide)
Large for R115 (11.5cm wide).

Pop in to KIN on Kloof to get your hands on them :)

Introducing : Clay Creations 56

Perfect for holding anything from delicate pieces of jewellery to tasty nibbles, Clay Creations 56's ceramic bowls make exquisite gifts. From the smallest bowl to the largest round platter, each piece is hand-formed and has signature handpainted details. Debbi Radomsky chats about how her pieces are thought up, created and loved.

Why did you start making your products?

I've always been a numbers person and financially minded, but have also always had a passion to be creative and work with clay. Since starting, I am completely passionate about my ceramics and find it a good switch off from the numbers world too.

How are your products made?

All hand made - most using moulds to get the basic shapes

 
How did you learn to make what you do?

I attend ceramic classes but work mostly on my own and just use the studio for firing my work mainly.

What is your favourite part of the process?

Seeing how the products come out the kiln as things change when fired and you never sure how the final result will look.

"I am completely passionate about the ceramics range I make and enjoy every moment of my time spent creating each item. I love the creative process and experimenting with new and different techniques. I find time flies when I am creating and I completely lose myself to the outside world."

Debbi Radomsky

What materials are your products made from?

All ceramics made from clay, painted and then clear glazed applied and fired in the kiln.

Which part of the country, and which city do you make your products / have them made?
All in Cape Town

Are there are special care/cleaning methods we can suggest to customers?

I would suggest hand wash as items are delicate, although all products are dish washer (and oven) safe.

Studio Sneak Peek - My China

A Sneak Peek? What's this? Chatting over tea at HQ one day, we were marvelling at how lucky we are to work with such an array of wonderful designers and in doing so get to know them, their spaces, people and pets. Suddenly we thought, "We should share them!" and voila! we now have a spot on the blog for Studio Sneak Peeks!

The name "My China" is a play on words with roots in Cockney slang: My China referring to a mate or friend from "My mate, my china plate" and China simultaneously referring to high quality ceramic ware originally made in China.

Frances Kierman launched My china in 2008 as a business which fused her love of drawings, colour and ceramics. She loves South Africa's fascinating bird life, unique Fynbos and all the other wild & strange creatures that live in it. She doodles her thoughts, and her drawings become the irresistible transfers that brand her work. My China's range of ceramics has grown and developed, but as the shapes and sizes evolve, it's easy to spot those clean white vessel with their signature hints of a bright, bold palette.

Like many fellow designers, Frances' talents have more than one avenue of expression - Flick Glass is the part of her business for which she makes jewellery from captivating, liquid-looking pieces of dichroic glass. All the glass is cut by hand in her studio, stacked with micro-layers of precious metals or oxides, and fused to form the intricate layers of shifting colour.

KIN, of course, stocks both My China (bowls in three sizes, vases, bottle stoppers, bunnies, milk jugs, sugar bowls, S&P sets, mugs, espresso cups and platters) and Flick Glass (studs - tiny glass squares mounted onto sterling silvers posts) at both Kloof and V&A.

Visit My China and Flick Glass online
Support My China and Flick Glass on Facebook