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.
DescriptionSecondary crystals fill the ground everywhere except on the neck. Each of the sparse primary crystals are a vivid blue with concentric growth rings. A narrow ring of burgundy separates each primary from the gorund. Unique in my output, this piece...
DescriptionIron gold zinc silicate crystalline glaze. Vivid golden primary crystals are set on a complex ground that grades from an opaque dusky cream colour on the neck to a deep transparent amber at the foot. Photographed at Hutton-in-the-Forest during the 2025...
DescriptionIron red and etched dark green glazes on a larger, bold form. The dark green crystalline glkaze has been etched after firing producing a pale ground that grades from near-white on the shoulder to pale green at the foot, all with a satin matt surface. ...
DescriptionThree glaze firings produced an unusual effect of supressing secondary crystals in thie piece. The ground is a pale amber with vertical striations. The primary crystals are a vivid blue with holographic structure. A second glaze firing is risky, more often...
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 July 25th to Sunday July 28th, 10 am to 4:30 pm each day.
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...
DescriptionSecondary crystals fill the ground everywhere except on the neck. Each of the sparse primary crystals are a vivid blue with concentric growth rings. A narrow ring of burgundy separates each primary from the gorund. Unique in my output, this piece...
DescriptionThree glaze firings produced an unusual effect of supressing secondary crystals in thie piece. The ground is a pale amber with vertical striations. The primary crystals are a vivid blue with holographic structure. A second glaze firing is risky, more often...
DescriptionIron red with pale green and tan crystalline glaze. The primary crystals are a delicate shade of green with pronounced growth rings and a burgundy fringe. The ground grades from pink on the shoulder to amber near the foot with a dusting of small secondary...
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:...
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...