What is stoneware ceramics?

Ceramics made of stoneware clay have a special character, rustic and are heavy in the hand. The weight comes from the natural composition of minerals containing a higher proportion of quartz, which weighs more, than ceramics made from traditional earthenware.

As a rule, stoneware ceramics are glazed in natural tones to get a good attachment surface on the quartz-rich clay and the objects are close at hand in the Scandinavian design language. Which has contributed to the rise in popularity we have seen in recent years.

Stoneware ceramics is a fantastic handicraft with a long underlying tradition and many uses.

Stoneware clay is burned at a high temperature of between 1200-1300 degrees. This means that stoneware is heated at such a high temperature that the ceramic not only gets burned and dries, but instead reaches such a high temperature point that the clay melts and returns to soft mass. When this happens, the natural pores in the stoneware clay fuse together and the object becomes waterproof, even without further glazing, this process is called sinter .

When working with stoneware clay, there are several different aspects to take into account, including that the clay is heated to a very high temperature, which generates that the object shrinks by approx. 10-15%. Sometimes a little more, sometimes less.
This means that it is a very experience-intensive craft to successfully burn their works without them being skewed, distorted or skewed in their final form. It takes years of practice and skill. And that the artist is very familiar with his own clay because different compositions and moisture ratios rule differently when burning.

The traditional craftsmanship behind the production of stoneware ceramics requires a great deal of technical skill and many years of experience to work and teach. Therefore, we are very honored to work with Mala Ma'am and her team in Mumbai, India. Mala Ma'am has worked with ceramics for over 45 years, as an aspiring art student and in recent years as a reputable art teacher with a strong commitment to social work. For the past 12 years, she has continuously organized workshops for marginalized young adults who do not have the opportunity for education or self-sufficiency, where they teach their professional skills and create opportunities for employment in their studio.

Together with Mala Ma'am, we at Örnäs Trädgård have produced a unique collection of objects in stoneware ceramics that we have carefully produced in consensus on design language, quality and functionality.

With respect for man and nature, each object has been shaped by hand, dried, fired and glazed in several rounds. In total, each item has been carefully handled by our hands up to 18 times before being carefully packed to be sent to you.

Our hope is that your ceramic object from us will bring a lot of joy and last in your home or garden for many, many years to come.

A valuable detail to pick out year after year during the season to create lasting memories. Such as our hand-sculpted Easter eggs and pendants with spring flowers. Or a solid detail that can be varied according to the seasons, such as our large vases and hand-glazed indoor pots.

Our Easter decorations in stoneware come v. 10.