whisking Studio is a project by printmaker vivienne adeney, born from a deep love of cooking, gardening, and embracing the small moments that make life rich. the name "whisking" captures the essence of this project—an exploration of mixing ideas, concepts, and processes. whether it's perfecting a recipe or blending functionality with beauty, gardening with cooking, or transforming everyday objects into special rituals, whisking studio is about making the most of every moment.

these pieces are introduced in "harvests," inspired by the seasonal rhythms of a grocery store. each harvest offers unique creations designed to complement the different seasons and activities of the home and garden. available directly through the pottery provedore, these works are a deep exploration of ceramics, informed by extensive research into the chemistry of clay and glaze.

passions, slowly whisked together, include a love for josef albers' homage to the square, geometric shapes, and an appreciation for the intersection of functionality and beauty. every object is designed with ergonomics, form, and the joy of using beautiful pieces in daily life in mind.

each piece is made with Australian clay by hand in the studio. attention to detail is maintained at every stage to ensuring the best quality produce reaches your doorstep.

  • STEP 1

    clay

    each piece in the studio begins with austalian made clay. a section of clay is cut from the block then wedged (similar to kneading dough) to ensure large air bubbles have escaped and to achieve uniform consistency

  • step 2

    throwing

    the wheel is then used to shape the clay into a form such as a bowl or a cup. each piece is thrown intuitively with its end use in mind throughout its entire creation.

  • step 3

    trimming

    once the clay has dried it will reach the stage of ‘leatherhard’ which is when clay can be cut off the form using a metal turning tool. this is where each shape is perfected. the ‘whisking’ stamp is also pressed into the base at this stage.

  • step 4

    decoration

    each piece is painted by hand using custom made coloured slip. the shapes and patterns are inspired by artworks such as josef albers ‘homage ot the square’ and linoleum tiles of the 60’s. the uniqueness of each piece makes them one-of-a-kind just as nature intended.

  • step 5

    bisque firing

    once decorated and dried slowly the pieces are taken to the kiln to be bisque fired. the bisque firing removes the chemically bound water from the clay molecule. this is done so the clay body becomes porous and can accept glaze evenly at the next stage.

  • step 6

    glazing and waxing

    after the bisque firing the base of each piece is waxed to ensure glaze does not adhere to the bottom. the stamp is filled in with red underglaze and the glaze is brushed on by hand in two layers.

  • step 7

    glaze firing

    the pieces are now ready for their final firing. the kiln heats up to stoneware temperature where the glaze melts and the clay body becomes vitrified. vitrification is the process where the clay transforms from a porous body to a watertight body with an absorption rate of less than 0.5%. This means that water and liquids cannot be absorbed into the clay body ensuring no mould or bacteria grows under the glaze.

  • step 8

    sanding

    the bases of each piece are wet sanded to ensure a smooth bas so it won’t scratch your countertop. after sanding each piece is washed by hand to ensure they are looking their best.

  • step 9

    photographing

    Each piece is then photographed from all angles and added to the pottery provedore. Capturing the craftsmanship and details of each piece allows for a complete overview.