Crystalline Glazed Vessel with Branch Handle

Elegant, one-of-a-kind handmade vase by ceramics artist Jeremy Lea.

Striking crystals that resemble snowflakes or flowers in various stages of bloom are grown inside the zinc-based glazes during the firing process, and a single vase can take up to 30 hours to create.

THE PROCESS: Gorgeous crystals are grown inside the glaze during a complicated firing schedule. The entire 10-step process can take up to 30 hours for a single piece. Even with great care the failure rate is high. Therefore only a few potters have accepted the challenges of crystalline pottery.

Crystal glazes require an intricate long cooling schedule. The zinc based glazes run off the pot and need special containers to collect the melted glaze. It is impossible to repeat the design on any piece; therefore each pot is very unique. The crystals actually form in the glaze in a chemical reaction during cooling and grow from small nuclei created during the melting process when silica and zinc come together to form zinc-silicate.

The crystal glazed ware is fired to approximately 2340℉, and then held in the kiln for cooling between 2000℉ and 1830℉ for 3 to 5 hours depending on the glaze. When finished, the piece is removed with a chisel and mallet from its base and ground smooth. Each piece is created using high-fire fine porcelain.