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Seven questions about my Ceramics

Hi everyone! I wanted to share some more background about my work; some (technical) nice-to-nows about how I create my pieces. I figured the best way to do this is to get into the questions that I get asked the most.

So here it goes: seven answers to seven frequently askes questions. I hope it helps / inspires some of you out there!

1. Why is your work so small?

Many of my sculptures are only a few centimetres high, and even my 'larger' designs, such as the Wonky Vases and Bells, are relatively small of size. It's something that is especially noted by people who see my work in real life. I prefer small projects over big ones. I love tiny things, but also: working on smaller projects means more creative variety. I love switching between different projects. It inspires me and it makes it more inviting try out more colors and designs.

I do like to work on bigger projects occasionally though! I recently created two extra large wonky vases, because I liked the idea of having them as large vases. Working on large ceramic pieces comes with more risks, but I was so happy with how they turned out 😊

2. Are your sculptures solid or hollow?

Most of my sculptures (fe. the flower pups, chickens and lucky potatoes) are solid. The flower hole is pinched with a small, wooden stick, so they are suitable for dry flowers only. I sometimes get asked if this doesn't cause problems during the firings. It doesnt, as as long as they are entirely dry before they are fired, so I always make sure to leave them to dry a proper amount of time. If they are fired while there is still moist inside, they can crack. This has happened to me a few times in the past, when I was trying to push the limits and fired them too soon. It's better to be safe and and fire your pieces once you are entirely sure that they are dry!

3. What tool do you use to build the tall Wonky vases?

On my social media I share a lot of making of-videos of my very tall Wonky Vases. I wrap a slab of clay arround a 'tool' to build the vases, and a question I receive a lot is: what ís that tool? Well, it's nothing fancy, just a big broomstick :) I have been using the same one since my first Wonky Vase and, even though it took some practice, it works great for me. Because it's thin on one end and big on the other, It's easier to create clay tubes that are bigger at the bottom (which makes them more stable). I cover the brush in paper before rolling the slab around it, so that the clay easily comes off at the end.

4. What clay do you use?

I work with a very light stoneware clay that I fire in my kiln to around 1200 degrees celsuis. The clay is very soft, which I like for sculpting, and I love how it looks and feels when it's fired. The beige color also makes my painting stand out nicely 🎨

5. What colors do you use?

For most of my work, I use a white stoneware glaze that I create my own colors with, by mixing the glaze with different proportions of pigments. I created a big color palette this way that I frequently extend with new colors. My current challenge is creating more bright, non-pastel colors and it's surprizingly difficult, considering that I am so used to working with pastel shades!

6. What are the gold, shiny details on your ceramics?

It's gold luster; a liquid that I apply when a piece is entirely glazed and finished. The Gold Luster I use is fired to 750 degrees celsius (so pieces that have gold luster are fired three times in total). The high temperatures in the kiln burn the luster and leave a bright, 24-carat gold layer on top of the glaze.

Painting with gold luster comes with its challenges (for example, it's recommended to wear a respirator and avoid skin contact) but for me t's worth it. I love the extra bling it adds to my ceramics. I don't paint everything with gold luster, by the way. For some ceramics, such as my wonky vases, I feel that they don't always need it.

7. Do you teach workshops?

Yes, I do :) I give workshops in my studio in Utrecht once every month averagely. If you're interested in joining me one day, you can find a calendar here.

I work alone a lot and love doing the workshops. It's the moment where I get out of my making-bubble, and where I get to share my passion for ceramics with others. It's always so inspiring to see all the beautiful things that are created here!

Posted on April 24, 2026

Sandra Apperloo

A little story about Wonky Vases

Hi everyone!

I have been wanting to share a bit more about me and my studio here. So every now and then I will share little stories of what has been keeping me busy lately 🎨 Here's the first one!

For the last weeks Wonky Vases have been keeping me busy. My tall, funny looking characters that are always a favorite to make. I recently decided to create a big new collection of them, which got me thinking about how they have been an important part of many of my previous collections. About how they have changed over the years and how it has been 8 years since I built my first tall vase (really? Where did the time go??)

So here's a bit more about how the Wonky Vase came to be, how it changed along with the rest of my work, and some insight on how I make them.

But first of all: what is a Wonky Vase?

A wonky vase is a tall, hand-built bud vase. Their long, simple bodies make them look quirky and, as they are often a bit tumbled and show marks of the hand-building process, they're wonky. I like them best that way. It gives them a charm:) And even though they are wonky, their thick and heavy bottom also makes them stable. I used to call them Weirdo Bud Vases, a name I personally enjoyed but it often confused people. Fortunately, Wonky is very striking, too 😊

The story of how the Wonky Vase came to be isn't too interesting. The idea just popped in my head one day, while I was making ceramics. At that time I often created with the pottery wheel and even though I did enjoy myself (and had the occasional good day), I was never really good at it. It did give me a fascination for shapes and, maybe because my throwing skills were limited, it got me thinking about unusual shapes a lot, in particular shapes that cannot easily be created on the wheel. I loved the idea of creating something tall, but I kept the idea in my head for quite a while before I did anything with it.

Once I decided to finally give some of my thoughts a try, I loved it .. It took me some time to get the hand on building them but practiced a lot, trying to make each one better. I loved how they looked; their silly postures and weird little faces. I loved how cheerful they looked in a big goup of them and I loved practicing different patterns on them.

Some of my very first wonkies:

In the early days, almost all of my wonky vases had 'people faces'. It's what I was fimiliar with from creating my face pots, but as my work changed and I started sculpting more, so did the wonkies, and I started making lots of animals. Their shape and style also changed. They became taller and thinner. They got bigger and got heavier bottoms as I realized it helped their stability.

They've had different looks over the years:

I build all of my wonky vases by hand. I have one favorite tool that I have used from the beginning: a big paintbrush. I cover it in a newspaper (which prevents the clay from sticking to the brush) and then I roll a tall slab of clay around it, which then shapes into a small tube. A bottom is added afterwards, and when the clay is dry enough, I sculpt it any way I like. It does require som practice, especially when you want to make the tube thinner, but it can be done!

I may be wrong, but at this point I feel the wonkies have reached a point where I don't think they will be changing, or 'evolving' much more. That happens in the creative journey. Sometimes making something gives me tingles and makes me imagine thousands of possibilities (it can literally keep me up at night) and sometimes it doens't anymore. I just finished a very big collection of Wonky Vases, probably the biggest I have made in a few years. And even though I did include some new designs and had a lot of fun with it (I finally made giraffes, ha!), making them mostly feels like a trip to memory lane. Passing through old designs and remaking the ones I loved most. Trying to refine them and just kind if appreciating them as they are. A very satisfying and comfortable feeling.

So yes, I still get excited working on them. It doesn't always have to be something new to keep the fun in. For me, looking at all the things I make, the wonky vase is also one of the pieces that feels most unique and tipically mine. I love making other things too, but this is one of the things I'm most proud of ❤️

This Sunday (March 29) I will restock my shop with a collection of new made wonky vases. I loved working on them and hope you will enjoy them too. And yes, there will be more wonky vases in the future...😊

X Sandra

Wonkies in the shop
The previews of the pieces that will be available this Sunday are now online

Make your own Wonky Vases
I haven't planned it yet, but may be making an online tutorial soon. Meanwhile you can get some inspiration from this Instagram video or join me in a real-life workshop in Utrecht this year.

Posted on March 26, 2026

Sandra Apperloo