Welcome
Welcome. Vitajte.
My name is Kristina and I love working with clay. In the last year, I've put together my own home studio with a new wheel to throw on and acquired a kiln from the 70's that I was able to breathe new life into (with the help of my dad). I'm so excited to share all of these creations with you. Being a first generation American, keeping my background alive was important to me in my art and that's how the name Iskra Keramika was born, meaning Spark Ceramics in Slovak.
Every idea, drawing, and vessel all starts with a spark.
product types
General timelines
1
greenware
After being thrown on a wheel, the clay needs to get to a point called leather hard, which can take a bout a week or 2 depending on size of the piece. From there I trim the piece and attach handles if needed. Once the piece is trimmed, it needs to fully try in order to be ready for the first fire.
2
Bisqueware
At this point I can peform a bisque firing. This firing is about 1,922°F - 1,940°F, leaving the piece solid but still porous to absorb the glaze. This firing can take about 5-8 hours and then needs a full day to cool before being taken out of the kiln. Once it's taken out, I can glaze the pieces. This is done by hand and takes multiple layers, needing each layer to dry between.
3
final prodcut
Once all the pieces are glazed, I can carefully put them back in the kiln for the glaze firing. This is where the chemistry happens. The clay vitrifies and the glaze reacts with the heat resulting in different colors and tones. This fire is about 2,200°F - 2,250°F and takes about 6-10 hours to reach temperature.
Get in
Touch
Inquiries will be limited depending on work load. At this time I only accept PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, and check if you're local to the Lehigh Valley.
Prices vary on product.