Red Earth, White Ash — Shino Wood-Fired Tea Mug

Red Earth, White Ash

This tea mug looks as though it was pulled from the earth itself — warm, heavy, and deeply alive. The lower body glows with the rich, warm tones of iron-red and ochre clay, fired to a deep terracotta in the wood kiln. Above it, a dramatic band of white and dark grey Shino glaze cascades downward like volcanic ash settling on red earth — dense, blistered, and richly textured. A sturdy, hand-pulled handle completes the form, itself encrusted with the same raw glaze, grounding the piece in the tradition of functional studio pottery.

Glaze & Surface

The lower half of the exterior is unglazed or lightly flashed — warm iron-red and ochre, the natural colour of the clay body transformed by wood fire and ash. The upper half is blanketed in a dense, crawled glaze of white Shino and dark iron-grey — blistered, pitted, and deeply textured, like the surface of cooling lava or the bark of an ancient tree. Where the two zones meet, the glaze bleeds and feathers into the clay, creating a soft, organic transition. The interior is a luminous field of white and pale blue-grey — smooth and inviting, with fine dark speckles scattered across the surface like pepper on snow. The handle is thick and hand-formed, covered in the same raw glaze as the upper body.

Form & Feel

• Wide, rounded mug form with a sturdy hand-pulled handle
• Comfortable to hold — balanced weight, fits naturally in the hand
• Thick walls with excellent heat retention
• Richly textured upper body — raw and tactile
• Warm, unglazed lower body — grounding and earthy

The Wood-Fire Difference

The warm iron-red of this mug's lower body is not a glaze — it is the clay itself, transformed by the heat and atmosphere of the wood kiln over many hours of firing. The ash and flame leave their marks directly on the surface, creating a record of the firing that no electric kiln can replicate. Every mug that emerges with this depth of colour and texture is a unique document of the fire.

For the daily tea drinker who wants something beautiful in their hands every morning. One of a kind, never to be repeated.

Care

Suitable for contact with tea. Hand wash gently and avoid abrasive cleaners. Variations and firing marks are part of this one-of-a-kind handmade piece.