How I create my ceramic jewellery

I may have stumbled on a gnarled piece of  bark or a stone shaped by the water of the river, or come across a piece of turquoise or special strand of semi precious stones and this is how my designs begin.

For the design that has appeared in my mind I form the clay into a shape that I think will suit ,I then hollow out each bead and await that magical dryness ready to burnish each bead to a glass like smoothness ready to enter the kiln for the first firing.Once fired my bead has become my canvas,on which the fire with a little help from various oxides and wood  paints its picture.Maybe one out of ten beads comes out of the fire with the desired effect,they are then cleaned and polished with natural bees wax to make them look  rich and luxurious.

Inspiration is not always on hand  but with the help of nature and a little help from man I hope I have created a range of jewellery you will enjoy as much as I do.

LIZZIE WILLIAMS