Our Studio Process: The Journey of a Pot
Ever wonder how a lump of clay becomes a finished mug? Step into the messy, magical reality of our studio process, from the first wheel spin to the final kiln opening!
Ever wonder what it takes to make 90 pieces of pottery? This video takes you through our entire production cycle, from wedging the clay and throwing on the wheel to the meticulous glazing and loading of the kiln.
The magic moment. After two long days of waiting for the kiln to cool, we finally get to see the results. Watch as Mahanth unloads a fresh batch of our Green Celadon dinnerware.
A day in the life at Studio Mudlife. Here you can see Mahanth throwing bowls while Shreya works on hand-building techniques.
Shreya's throwing debut on our page. The pottery wheel is a wonderfully therapeutic tool that calms the mind and centers the spirit.
An 11-hour glaze day at the studio. This video shows us glazing about 80 pieces, from dipping bowls to cleaning the bottoms, and finally loading them into the kiln.
A 12-hour glaze day, no trending audio needed. Just the satisfying, real sounds of our studio as we prepare a full kiln for firing.
We're always experimenting with new glazes. This video shows some of our recent trials, playing with new recipes and combinations to see what magic the kiln will create.
A few wholesome moments from our very first kiln opening event. It was amazing to share the surprise and joy with our supportive community.
16 hours of prep work for our studio opening. We waxed, glazed, and cleaned every single piece before carefully loading the kiln late into the night.
Unloading the bisque firing. At this stage, the clay has been fired once to make it hard and porous, ready for glazing. And yes, that's our studio cat making a cameo.
About Our Studio Process: The Journey of a Pot
Glazing is where the chemistry really happens in our studio. We mix all our own glazes by hand—yes, it is a messy business—and that is why you will never find two pieces exactly the same in our collection. When you pick up a piece from us, you are not just getting a vessel; you are getting the result of hours of testing, a long firing at 1285 degrees, and a whole lot of trial and error to get those signature drips just right.
The journey of every pot starts long before it hits the wheel. We begin by wedging reclaimed clay, a process that removes air bubbles to ensure the material is consistent and workable. Only then does the throwing begin.
Once a piece is thrown and trimmed, it undergoes a bisque firing to make it hard and porous. Then comes the most unpredictable phase: glazing. We specialize in cone 10 reduction firing, which means we deprive the kiln of oxygen at 1285 degrees to pull out specific colors and textures from our signature glazes like Tenmoku, Chun, and Green Celadon.
Because we mix our own glazes, the results are never identical. The atmosphere inside the kiln changes with every firing, and we often open it to find surprises. It is hard work—we have spent 11-hour days just cleaning the bottoms of mugs to ensure they do not stick to the shelves—but this level of manual involvement is the only way to get that authentic, non-factory finish you see in our dinnerware and decor. If you are looking for uniformity, you might not find it here, but if you want ceramics with personality, you are in the right place.
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