FIRE HORSE MUGS

This year I was inspired by the Chinese tradition of paper cutting (jiǎnzhǐ 剪紙), a folk art that became more widespread following the invention of paper around 105 AD. This design is based on a traditional paper-cut horse motif, which I translated into a silk screen. I printed the image onto rice paper and transferred it onto the mugs while still leather hard, so the design becomes part of the clay before firing.

I created two series: one using grolleg porcelain—an ultra-white kaolin clay from Cornwall, England—finished with a glossy clear glaze inside and out for a luminous, refined surface and the other using a dark chocolate–colored clay from Medicine Hat, Canada.