Art Floral Trading LLC
SRI COLLECTION
Our SRI collection is inspired by the ocean and the beautiful, natural elements found there. Simple and elegant, you can pair them with flowers or simply let them stand alone as pieces of art.
OUR PROCESS
The artisans we work with combine the highest quality porcelain with custom skills to make beautiful, modern pieces that complement any home. Porcelain is denser and less porous than other materials, making it the ideal medium for vases. Once it is properly treated, porcelain is easy to clean and water tight.
Clay Preparation
Our process begins by first making the clay. It must be milled, pulverized, cleaned and mixed until we have the ideal consistency to shape our pieces. Next, the clay needs to be kneaded and compressed to force out any air bubbles which can cause cracks and breaks.
Our materials are sourced responsibly and we take pride in the fact that our products are created with environmentally friendly methods.
Shaping and Designing
Once the clay is prepped, our artisans begin to handcraft each piece. They use various techniques, working the clay by hand, forming and shaping it until they allow the perfect design to emerge. We employ a host of ceramic creation methods – from using modern molds to designing styles freehand.
All our pieces are inspired by nature, and the methods we use to create them depend on various elements of nature that inspire us.
Drying Process
Once the design is perfected the pieces must be completely dry. We use a kiln to ensure thoroughness and fire them at a low, consistent temperature so they do not melt or crack. After what is described as “raw firing” the clay turns orange in color and at this point is often referred to as a “biscuit”. The biscuits must then be washed thoroughly to eliminate any dirt or dust from the raw firing. We then re-check each piece to ensure no damage has been done during the firing process.
Glazing and Sintering
Before the glazing process begins we dry the pieces in sunlight. After the biscuit is clean and dry, it is then dipped into one of our custom glazes. Before the second firing, we check each piece to ensure thorough glaze coverage, as sintering, or the second firing, reaches extremely high temperatures.
Once completed, the glazed pieces are shiny in finish and brilliant in color.
Finishing
Finally, we inspect each item by hand, and only select pieces that adhere to stringent quality assurance standards before packing and shipping them to wonderful customers like you.