Dave's Clays
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davesclays.bsky.social
Dave's Clays
@davesclays.bsky.social
3 followers 3 following 13 posts
Reclaiming and maintaining my sanity one handmade pottery marble at a time. When available, my clays can be purchased through https://davesclays.bigcartel.com/
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davesclays.bsky.social
Ugh. Was trying to remember how to use my old camera. This week's lesson is: "You gotta change the date when you change the batteries."

So, yeah. Some of the pix I've posted may have exif dates which are a smidge off (like 23 years or so) - LOL. 2002 anyone?
October 30, 2025 at 5:23 PM
davesclays.bsky.social
Some of my boulder size marbles, taken while trying to remember how to use one of my old actual non-phone cameras - an Olympus C-700UZ which uses SmartMedia cards.

#mentalhealth
#arttherapy
#anxietyrelief
#arttherapy
#yakidango
#hikaru
#processart
#collectible
#handmade
#marbles
October 29, 2025 at 5:40 PM
davesclays.bsky.social
Countless hours of patient burnishing, turning simple clay into shining hikaruyakidango spheres. The rich, deep colors are conveyed by sigillata and low-fire reduction enviroinment.

#claymarbles #mibs #taws #potterymarbles #collectible #dorodango #marbles #handmade #hikaru #zenofmaking #processart
October 27, 2025 at 5:42 PM
davesclays.bsky.social
Letting Go of art
Hot orbs now kiss the black coal bed
Fire's will remains

#mentalhealth #anxietyrelief #arttherapy #dorodango #hikaru #hikaruyakidango #processart #collectible #handmade #marbles
The kiln had other plans: 307∘C max. The art is in the letting go—we quickly shoveled the burnished orbs right into the coals for transformation. The raw chaos yielded a beautiful range of golden, bronze, and permanent copper flashes. Every unrepeatable color is a testament to the fire's will. The kiln had other plans: 307∘C max. The art is in the letting go—we quickly shoveled the burnished orbs right into the coals for transformation. The raw chaos yielded a beautiful range of golden, bronze, and permanent copper flashes. Every unrepeatable color is a testament to the fire's will. A few pieces which the fire claimed. They cracked and crumbled when the kiln bucked the plan, but even in failure they tell the story of the process. It's a reminder that embracing the chaos and beauty of a volatile, low-fire atmosphere comes at a cost.
October 27, 2025 at 4:54 PM
davesclays.bsky.social
The chamber where Zen meets destiny. These burnished clay spheres face the fire's chaos. Survive, and they become #hikaruyakidango; permanence which holds the memory of calm.

#mentalhealth #arttherapy #zenofmaking #hikaruyakidango #collectible #handmade #marbles #dorodango #hikaru #potterymarbles
A close-up view inside a rough earthen kiln chamber, heavily loaded with hundreds of colorful, burnished clay marbles. In the foreground are small ceramic bowls and in the background, greenware saggars wrapped in aluminum foil are stacked to protect and reduce the dorodango method marbles during low-fire. Interior of an earthen kiln showing a large pile of unglazed, burnished clay spheres in various colors, alongside small bisque and greenware pots. The setup includes foil-wrapped saggars and a small, unglazed ocarina, detailing the precise packing for low-fire reduction. Exterior view of my handcrafted primitive low-fire brick and cob kiln, insulated with straw and clay. The front of the kiln has a small stoking opening and the interior shows a peek at the foil-wrapped pieces loaded for firing.
October 24, 2025 at 4:08 PM
davesclays.bsky.social
Loading the kiln with trinkets and foil wrapped clay saggars full of marbles and salts, and some in bowls to get kissed by flame, but the weather has other plans! 🌧️

#zenofmaking #mindfulness #lettinggo #dorodango #handmade #processart #marbles #dreidel #saggar
A close-up view of numerous unfired, hand-burnished clay marbles scattered across a dark, textured surface. The spheres exhibit varying muted earth tones—browns, greys, and pale pastels—and show a luminous, polished sheen reflecting ambient light. This image highlights the texture and varied colors of the raw, polished clay. A wide, overhead view looking down into the interior of a small, primitive wood-fired kiln, showing various clay items carefully arranged for firing. The kiln's floor and walls are made of earthy, packed clay. Several objects, including two large bundles, are wrapped in crinkled aluminum foil (saggars). A large, dark, burnished clay sphere rests prominently in the center foreground, with a smaller, unadorned clay pot and several grey, unglazed dreidels visible towards the right side. A close-up shot inside a primitive clay kiln, focusing on a grouping of items. In the center, a light-colored bowl holds several smooth, burnished clay marbles, some appearing pinkish, others light blue or grey. Surrounding the bowl are crinkled aluminum foil bundles (saggars) and a large, dark, burnished clay sphere, partially visible. The earthen kiln walls are visible in the background. A close-up view of four unglazed clay dreidels resting on the earthy floor of a primitive kiln. The dreidels are handmade, with varying shapes and levels of detail. The two leftmost dreidels have faintly visible Hebrew letters incised, with the leftmost one showing hints of reddish pigment within the letters and a darker, almost metallic burnish. The other two are lighter grey, one with a more spherical body and etched lines, and the far right one having a more traditional, blocky form.
October 23, 2025 at 3:40 PM
davesclays.bsky.social
Dave's Clays
‪@davesclays.bsky.social‬
A set of contemporary #handmade #dorodango #marbles. Blue on white with a brown lambskin drawstring pouch.
A set of contemporary handmade dorodango (shiny mud) marbles. Blue on white with a brown lambskin drawstring pouch.
October 21, 2025 at 8:50 PM
davesclays.bsky.social
#handmade #dorodango #marble set. Red on white with a green lambskin drawstring pouch.
A set of handmade red on white dorodango marbles with a green lambskin drawstring pouch.
October 21, 2025 at 5:04 PM
davesclays.bsky.social
Small #handmade #clay #dreidel assortment and a few #dorodango #marbles.
Small handmade clay dreidel assortment and a few dorodango marbles.
October 20, 2025 at 8:04 PM
davesclays.bsky.social
This set of 15 #handmade #dorodango #pottery #marbles includes 12 mibs, 2 taws, 1 boulder and a lambskin drawstring pouch.
handmade dorodango pottery marbles and lambskin drawstring pouch.
October 20, 2025 at 8:02 PM
davesclays.bsky.social
When worlds collide. This #hikaru #dorodango marble suffered from a fall, allowing us to see inside.

#marbles #claymarbles #handmade
October 19, 2025 at 3:04 PM
davesclays.bsky.social
Hand rolled and burnished modern clay marbles (mibs, taws, and boulders), inspired by the Japanese art of hikaru dorodango, patiently waiting for a turn in the low-cone wood fired kiln.

#handburnished #lowfire #dorodango #hikaru #handmade #artinthemaking
Hand rolled and burnished modern clay marbles (mibs, taws, and boulders), inspired by the Japanese art of hikaru dorodango, patiently waiting for a turn in the low-cone wood fired kiln.
October 18, 2025 at 10:34 PM