This is very special clay. It's history is ancient and steeped in meaning. Collected with great care from a mountain with special significance to local iwi Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea, the traditional kaitiaki (caretakers) of this land. Each vessel is determined by the nuances of the clay itself.
Geologically ancient, once the ocean floor, and made up of millions of tiny diatome fossils, this clay is not the easiest to work, but it reveals itself beautifully in the firing process.
I have chosen to make drinking vessels from this limited supply, carefully burnishing a spot to drink from at the lip of the cup, and leaving a bare, natural surface to hold in one's hand. These are definitely vessels that demand care in their handling, and like our precious planet, they will bear the marks of the way they are interacted with.