One of the most difficult things for potters that did not study chemistry, is to understand glazes. Antoinette describes it in this demonstration with everyday groceries found in the kitchen.

Antoinette Badenhorst interviews ceramic artist Connie Christensen in a fascinating discussion about Shino glazing techniques, ceramic surfaces, and the artistic possibilities of atmospheric firing.
In this inspiring interview, Connie Christensen shares her experience working with Shino glazes — one of the most admired glaze styles in ceramics, known for its warm tones, carbon trapping, soft textures, and rich surface variation. The conversation explores how Shino glazing combines chemistry, firing atmosphere, and artistic intuition to create expressive ceramic surfaces.
Connie took classes at art centers, community colleges and she attended numerous workshops. She realized that working in clay is a combination of art and science. 
Her online Shino workshop at TeachinArt is just that: a combination between art and science. 

One of my favorite activities in porcelain is to alter and carve the clay. It is wonderful to feel the clay respond to my intuition. ​

​ It is not always easy though. One push too far and the clay will start to crack. Sometimes I get carried away and forget that the clay will need to be fired once it is made into a wide rimmed bowl. Porcelain is very demanding in the kiln, since it become semi-glass. If I just work and do not plan, it ends up in a disaster. 
This bowl was one of those that did not make it, but has a beautiful story behind it: 
When I was presenting workshops in Europe in 2016, I created this wide rimmed bowl from Audrey Blackman porcelain. Koos and I carried it with us to all the next workshops, allowing me to work on it for 2 and a half months, over the workshops that I presented in 6 different countries. We traveled by car.  I began to trim it in Slovenia, altering and starting the carving process in Belgium, back to Switzerland, where I originally threw it, continuing to perfect it in Vallauris, France and finally carrying it to Spain with the hopes to get it bisqued and to leave it behind in Europe. Unfortunately, it started to crack, due to our long hours on the road and possibly the unpredictable situations that it went through, so we decided to break it.
In 2018 I made one at  La Meridiana and one in Switzerland

Since that trip I went back to Europe several times and I was recently in South Africa. Many other potters discovered this wheel throwing process now and it is interesting to see how they brought their own design to it. 
 
I love the carving process and the challenge to being able to carry it with me in a box for such a long period; was amazing. Porcelain can tolerate many things; uneven drying conditions is not one of them. 
​
It helps to understand the porcelain clay medium and if nothing else, I use my success and failure to teach my students.
If you are having difficulty with porcelain, you can start to read my blog posts here and consider doing one of my classes. I teach students ongoing in online workshops, but I am also teaching classes in different parts of the world. ​

Paul Blais interviewed Antoinette Badenhorst on the podcast The Potters Cast in Episode 672, “Dealing with the Inner Critic,” released in October 2020. The episode focused on the balance between artistic confidence and self-critique, especially in the development of ceramic artists and potters. 
During the interview, Antoinette discussed her journey from Southern Africa to the United States, where she received permanent residency based on her “extraordinary ability in the field of ceramics.” She shared how she taught ceramics in Africa, later continued mentoring artists in the U.S., and built a career centered around porcelain, education, and artistic discipline. 
A major theme of the conversation was the importance of honest self-evaluation in art. Antoinette explained that artists should develop a balanced “inner critic” — one that encourages growth without destroying confidence. She emphasized patience, refinement, and learning the “language of art” before presenting work publicly. 
The interview also explored:

• Working with translucent porcelain and why she calls porcelain “the Diva of clay”
• Artistic authenticity and avoiding trends
• The emotional connection between maker and object
• Teaching philosophy and constructive critique
• Finding an authentic artistic voice 

​The episode became especially meaningful to many ceramic artists because of its candid discussion about vulnerability, standards, craftsmanship, and the emotional challenges artists face while developing their work.

John Shirley studies Ceramic Design and wanted to take his porcelain work to a new level translucency and whiteness so that he can use the canvas  as a backdrop for soluble salt patterns. 
​He started to slip-cast bone china bowls.
His work is renown. ​

See recipes for Bone China on my clay recipes page

David Voorhees is working with porcelain, mostly on the potters wheel. He discussed his career and the art of his family with Antoinette in this online video interview. His wheel throwing tips and decorating techniques are reaching potters far and wide across the world in his online video pottery workshop. ​

With parents that were recognized for their watercolor and oil painting across North Carolina, it is no surprise that David uses his porcelain urns as a backdrop for ceramic decorating techniques. ​

Growing up in Southern Africa, blankets wrapped around people were a natural sight. Some tribes had blankets with specific designs printed and they walked with those blankets wrapped around them all year long; sometimes around the waste, sometimes around their shoulders. The traditional Zulu dress involves wild animal skin wrapped around their waste.  Often one would see them with a rolled-up blanket balanced on their heads, ready to be used when needed.
Thinking about blankets and how it is used throughout the ages, I realized and remembered the importance of blankets.  My mind mulled over the term blanket and how it is used. A blanket covers the ground.....a mantle, coat, veil, drape, afghan, kaross...…many times we 'blanket" one another in an embrace..... Blankets mean covering, protection, comfort, warmth, care, love, embrace and anything that has to do with the kindness in this world...….
Any time someone is traumatized, we may even use our bodies to cover and protect. 

I made the first ones of these figurines with blankets wrapped around them in South Africa when Tinyke, my youngest daughter was about 3 years old, not realizing the inspiration behind it. At the time it was simply an image that found its way into my sub-conscience and then into my clay work. 
Lizzie, the Swazi lady who helped me in the house, was also like a second mom to Izalda, Linkie and Tinyke.  She was often disciplinary factor, mentor and teacher. She also taught my children Christian songs in her mother tongue, as well as other elements from her culture, like how to carry their babies on their backs, held tight by a blanket. See, the African woman never suffered with colic babies. They carried them on their backs, working their days out, while the soothing rhythmic movement of the mother’s body and the warmth of the blanket worked any uneasiness away. My children was always playing in and around my studio and I often watched them carrying their dolls on their backs, with headscarves around their heads, just like so many of the woman still wear to this day. 

During those days early days in 1987 when I started making the blankets, or coats around these figurines, it  was a reference to comfort. As a reminder of my heritage, I kept making these figurines occasionally throughout the years.
In 1999 when we immigrated to the United States and experienced the deep, deep sadness over the loss of country and people, I communicated it through my work:  An elephant walking from a broken vessel, a bottle with bars in front of it. The black smoke of darkness that found its way onto some of my art works. The outstanding element of my pit fired porcelain those days however, were figures raising from the wheel thrown vessels. Often woman and often with the richness of necklaces: The trademark of the Ndebele woman.

In 2017  my Christmas ornament of this year was my beloved little figurine and while it never had a name, I decided this little doll always represented comfort, love, embrace and anything that has to do with the kindness in this world.  I remembered those who were suffering and my family and I are keeping them in our prayers on a daily basis.  “Remembrance” became a symbol of comfort and joy to people across America.
I found that people walked in throughout the year, ordering these figurines for families to show their continuing love, comfort and support.  Therefor what started as a Christmas ornament, is now available yearout in my studio showroom and available to be shipped anywhere in the USA.

2020 is a year of devastation.  While hurricanes and total catastrophic situations like wild fires, and earthquakes rattled the world,  barbaric actions were brought under our attention almost on a daily basis. While all of that were going on, many of us lost family and friends, got word of a devastating illness or struggled in silence with personal situations.
We faced fear, anger and frustration as people lost their income. We got word of the elderly suffering in isolation and we had to observe how even children became isolated behind masks. Insecurity found its way even among those that thought they were secure.

Amidst all of life's difficulties, people were still trying to comfort each other. During times when it looked like everything is falling apart, life still went on and the inherent goodness of people prevails. 

I often chooses to make Christmas ornaments from something representative of the year. So in 2017 I was touched by the devastation of Harvey in Texas and the bush fires in California. It was just some of the natural disasters that went on that year and in my own community I have friends that suffered from cancer, that lost loved ones, ended up in accidents and lost personal possessions due to tornadoes.  I felt the need to soothe and comfort where I could, but I am just an artist with limited abilities.
Then I remembered the importance of a blanket!
Just like the Ndebele always wore blankets around their shoulders while the Basotho blankets became a fashion statement, I felt to make a statement in this world where so many needed comfort.​

​Learn to understand glazes and glazing techniques so that you can become more successful as a potter. When you learn how to fix, how to apply and how to decorate with your glazes, nothing can stop you from becoming an excellent ceramic artist.
​One of the methods that will be addressed is majolica, but when majolica techniques are applied to a cone 10 glaze, it becomes something different.
See more about the glazing made easy online workshop.