Barbara Collins one off ceramics have always been hand built. Each piece built up slowly using clay that has been textured and impressed with symbols and motifs. She prefers to work with pure, simple shapes relating to the natural world. She hopes to imbue each piece with a calmness, serenity and timelesness such as may be found in a worn pebble or ancient relics.
The pieces have been glazed and fired many times using a glaze containing lithium over which many layers of slip are applied. The lithium creates bubbles and blisters that can be ground down to create a pitted volcanic surface. Colours are mainly muted with hints of intensity glimpsed beneath the surface. A white, grogged clay is used and the pieces glaze fired to around 1030 degrees centigrade.