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.
DescriptionThis small porcelain bowl form has sparklnig iron aventurine on the rim adding further complexity to the iron gold crystalline glaze below. DetailsCode: CSB Year: 2026 Height: 75 mm Diameter: 175mm Porcelain: TP058CSB. Merrill Head Wood, Cliviger....
DescriptionA porcelain bowl form featuring complex interaction between my iron aventurine and iron gold zinc silicate crystalline glazes. Iron aventurine has a characteristic sparkle caused by tiny crystals of haematite within the glaze. The pattern of interaction...
DescriptionThis small porcelain bowl form has sparklnig iron aventurine on the rim adding further complexity to the iron gold crystalline glaze below. DetailsCode: CT8 Year: 2026 Height: 80 mm Diameter: 155mm Porcelain: TP058CT8. Wet Marl Wood, Towneley Park....
DescriptionVivid blue primary crystals with burgundy fringes are get on a ground containing a myriad of tiny russet secondaries. Photographed in splendid winter conditions, deep cold with crisp snow and a bright sun set to the sounds of moorland grouse - conditions...
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...
DescriptionVivid blue primary crystals with burgundy fringes are get on a ground containing a myriad of tiny russet secondaries. Photographed in splendid winter conditions, deep cold with crisp snow and a bright sun set to the sounds of moorland grouse - conditions...
DescriptionIron aventurine and pale green and tan crystalline glazes. The aventurine glaze contains tiny crystals of iron oxide that sparkle as light bounces off them. The ground is filled with tiny secondary crystals, opaque cream on the shoulder grading to russet...
DescriptionThis example of my mid-blue crystalline glaze has large blue primary crystals set on a complex ground with several varieties of secondary crystal. DetailsCode: D4P Year: 2025 Height: 230 mm Porcelain: TP144D4R. Round Hill, Mereclough. Daylight with flash...
DescriptionIron gold crystalline glaze on a porcelain bowl form. The primary crystals are a vivid gold with dark centres. Sunlight in this video shows the glaze at its best. DetailsCode: D3R Year: 2025 Height: 85 mm Diameter: 225 mm Porcelain: TP132D3R. Wet Marl...
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...