PHOTO STORY
Kat Franken gives us an insight into being a jewelry ceramicist who sells locally in Eugene. With photo packages, you must be quick and direct with captions to keep the story interesting. The images are even more critical, and while these may be shot on my phone, they still tell her story and showcase her passions.
Kat Franken works on ceramic jewelry in her home studio on Wednesday. She plans to sell the pendants she stamped with eyes at the Eugene Saturday Market this coming weekend.
Franken started doing Ceramics in high school and has continued to do it for a living since taking classes in college. “It feels really good to play with clay; you can do so much with it.”
Franken uses a handmade ceramic stamp that she made to create her pendants and earrings. Franken also throws on a wheel and creates mugs and planters.
Franken oils the tip of the stamp before stamping to prevent it from getting stuck in the clay. She then presses firmly into the thin sheet of clay to create eyes that she later cuts out to then fire in a kiln.
After getting fired in a kiln, Franken glazes one of her mouth sculptures that will be turned into a magnet. Glazing is one of the last steps in creating a ceramic piece.