New Shino Mugs

Shino glazes were speculated to have been developed in the late 16th century in Japan. The formulas we use today have to take into account the materials we have access to today, but the glaze characteristics are very similar to those historical shino glazes.

Shinos certainly aren't everyone's cup of tea. They have a more rustic, almost primitive or primal quality that evokes a sense of the materials from the earth that comprise the glaze. I also incorporate a few application techniques and other glazes that produce the results that I like.

Consider a commercial coffee mug that's glazed with a solid color. The glaze on that mug is highly refined and predictable, making it look exactly like the others. Shinos allow for variations and unique, one-of-a-kind characteristics, which is also a great way to enhance the wheelthrown, handmade nature of my pottery work.