Crystalline Ceramics
Crystalline glazed porcelain forms by Richard Bideau
Careful control of chemistry and firing conditions give rise to glazes that produce crystals during the firing cycle. Crystals are stunning with fantastic shapes that shimmer like holograms as light catches them. The possibilities are almost endless…
I have been exploring the crystalline process since 1997, becoming a full-time potter in 2009. My former career in chemical engineering, coupled with a lifelong association with pottery have given me the skills needed to combine art and science.
My work is sold through art galleries and exhibitions. I also have a selection of pieces available to buy directy directly.
DescriptionMy banded crystal growing cycle has given an unusual result with this glaze. The primary crystals are dark with tones of charcoal and bronze set off with pronounced concentric growth rings. The ground is almost entirely filled with secondary crystals with a...
DescriptionEtched green zinc silicate glaze fired using my banded crystal growing cycle. Etching has given a satin surface. The primary crystals are dusky green speckled with tiny secondaries and featuring concentric growth rings. The ground is silky matt. An unusual...
DescriptionThis lidded form combines iron khaki and mid blue crystalline glazes. The primary crystals are a soft blue with vivid holographic structure and pronounced growth rings. The ground is a complex array of secondary crystals forming a contrasting backdrop to...
DescriptionIron red and pale green and orange crystalline glazes. The ground, speckled with tiny secoindary crystals, varies from cream on the shoulder with a pink blush to orange and yellow near the foot. The primaries are pale green with a burgundy fringe....
My next exhibition will be Potfest in the Park located in the beautiful grounds of Hutton-in-the-Forest, Cumbria. The show runs from Friday July26th to Sunday July 28th, 10 am to 4:30 pm each day.The kiln problems I had in November 2023 have stimulated a great...
The sensitivity of crystalline glazes to firing conditions is extreme. Recent modifications and repairs to my kiln changed my glazes dramatically and it has taken a lot of work to get my glazes working again. Several new glazes have come out of my tests and I'm...
Potfest 2023, held at Hutton-in-the-Forest, near Penrith, was a sucess. Many thanks to Matt Cox for organising and to my customers. The weather on the final day was particulary suitable for photography. Here are some images of my work and from around the show.Dramatic...
Some new crystalline glazes.
I'm pleased to announce that I will be exhibiting once again at Potfest in the Park. This year's event at Hutton-in-the-Forest, Cumbria will take place on July 28th, 29th and 30th.
DescriptionMy banded crystal growing cycle has given an unusual result with this glaze. The primary crystals are dark with tones of charcoal and bronze set off with pronounced concentric growth rings. The ground is almost entirely filled with secondary crystals with a...
DescriptionThis lidded form combines iron khaki and mid blue crystalline glazes. The primary crystals are a soft blue with vivid holographic structure and pronounced growth rings. The ground is a complex array of secondary crystals forming a contrasting backdrop to...
DescriptionA minor alteration to the composition of my golden crystalline glaze has altered the colouf of the ground. The vivid primary cyrstals are get on a complex semi-opaque background with colours ranging from cream to dusky pink. DetailsCode: D1G Year:...
DescriptionVivid golden crystals on a complex ground filled with secondary crystals. The primary crystals shine with a wonderful intensity in sunlight. I made this piece in 2024 using my custom porcelain number 100 but waited until 2025 to glaze it with the latest...
What does it mean to be a potter? The question is difficult to answer. The rewards are many but it can't be denied that there is a great deal of the mundane. The essential tasks of sieving and grinding are my least favorite. Opening the kiln after a glaze firing a...
With crystalline effects, the glaze is only a part of the process. The type of clay body also exerts a powerful influence on the fired result. For this reason, and many more besides, each potter, working in different parts of the world, each with its own raw...
Time we may comprehend, 'tis but five days elder than ourselves. Thomas Browne, Religio Medici, 1643. If the Eiffel tower were now representing the world's age, the skin of paint on the pinnacle-knob at its summit would represent man's share of that age… Mark Twain,...
Crystalline glazed surfaces have complex structures that change in appearance under different lighting conditions. For this photography session, the weather offered the possibility of some dramatic conditions: it was warm and humid, the wind, so often a powerful force...