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.
DescriptionDark blue crystalline glaze. Primary crystals are isolated with tones varying from burgundy to deep blue. The ground is especially complex with several types of secondary. The base is tan set with tiny silver crystals appearing between the larger blue...
DescriptionIron red and zinc silicate featuring interlocked primary crystals. The primary crystals have banded centres with a burgundy colour complementing the iron red of the neck. Many of the primary centres feature small fern-like crystals with sixfold symmetry....
DescriptionIron khaki and golden zinc silicate glazes. Golden zinc silicate glaze with large vivid primaries featuring darker centres. The ground is a complex array of small crystals floating on a glassy background with tones from pale tan through to deep amber. Set...
DescriptionVivid iron red combined with my pale green and tan crystalline glaze. The colours are complex. The ground is set with a myriad of tiny crystals that give a pink blush. Primary crystals have tones that move from blue-green through to purple accompanied by...
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.
DescriptionIron khaki and golden zinc silicate glazes. Golden zinc silicate glaze with large vivid primaries featuring darker centres. The ground is a complex array of small crystals floating on a glassy background with tones from pale tan through to deep amber. Set...
DescriptionGolden crystalline and iron aventurine. This is a runny and glassy version of my iron aventurine. Crystals at the top give way to a vivid glassy shoulder that interacts with the zinc silicate glaze througha complex pattern. The shoulder can look amber or...
DescriptionAn example of my mid blue and purple crystalline glaze dominated by secondary crystal development. The primary crystals have strongly defined growth rings. The ground is largely mid blue, all formed from small crystals. The purple regions are sparse but...
DescriptionThis small bowl form features a powerful and complex secondary crystal development. The primary crystals are vivid gold, sparse on the outside and well represented on the inside. The glaze pool on the inside is only slightly thicker than elsewhere and gives...
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...