Clay, Kilns, and Kiln Gods: A Ceramic Journey from Bangalore to Goa (3)

This is the final part — Part Three of my blog — continuing the story of how I became a ceramist. A collaborative adventure in ceramics, shaped by kilns, chaos, and community — from Bangalore to Goa. It follows, From Yarn to Clay

Once back in Bangalore, I took Suhag’s advice and got cracking—testing clay samples donated by my potter friends. I experimented with AMACO glazes we had bought centuries ago (thanks to Namita a good friend I made in Wipro she brought them from the US). We tested them in Suhag’s kiln, and everything looked promising.

Then, Suhag and the Dona Paula Potters (DPP) announced a June 2024 edition. This time, I was determined to participate as a ceramic artist. Meanwhile, we also unofficially became DPP’s communication designers—creating their brand logo, posters, and Instagram posts

I got busy making my small ceramic sculptures—some had been in my mind for years. As always, Upesh jumped in with his sketches. This time, I was cautious—I wanted to be in control (smirking as I rubbed my hands together). But then he pulled out his cute sketches of Zakir Hussain and a snake charmer, and I was instantly charmed. So I thought, what the heck, let him in! Together, we brought to life little mice on cheese platters, a family of frogs, playful dogs and cats—and, of course, Zakir Hussain with his tabla and the most adorable Indian snake charmer. I realised we make a pretty good team… but this time, I’m the boss.

And the Journey Begins !

And true to every potter’s journey, the hiccups were plenty along the way. Bisque firing was done with a potter friend since he was close to our home in Jakkuru. But when it came time for glaze firing, things went awry. He was busy with his niece, had handed operations over to someone else, and my pieces weren’t fired as expected. Panic set in.

I called Suhag, who was in Goa then, and she immediately suggested I reach out to Ganesh from Claystation. Ganesh—an old friend and a soft-spoken presence. We had worked with him before: from designing the Claystation brochure back when email forwards were still a thing, to creating a live-action promo video for their pint-sized HTC Kiln—a clever little stove-top kiln that could be fired on a regular gas stove. It was a hit, especially with makers of terracotta jewelry and tiny artifacts. The studio has since shifted to Koramangala. Little did I know I’d one day be firing my own ceramic pieces there, not just designing for Ganesh.

After assessing my work, Ganesh recommended switching to Silver Falls Porcelain Clay and trying new AMACO glazes. That meant pulling double shifts—we had lost both time and some pieces, so we had to start making them all over again.

Then came the relentless back-and-forth: from our home in Sobha Emerald, driving 30 km to Koramangala to bisque fire at Claystation, then heading back home—only to return later for glazing sessions that stretched late into the night. Through it all, Ganesh was by our side, generously offering his time and space, and reminiscing about the old days. Upesh, ever patient, supported me every step of the way.

Gokul from Claystation managed our firings and was always full of advice on glaze compositions—it made all the difference. Finally, after long hours, many trips, and plenty of trial and error, everything came together. We were ready for our first ceramic pop-up, excited to show off my little creations! Shoutout to the Claystation team—they truly encouraged me to go forth and conquer.

June 1–2, 2024, was the big day. Friends from Bangalore and Mumbai came down for the event—and we actually sold out! People loved my pieces. Upesh and I were amazed by the response. I was so nervous, but the whole experience was completely unexpected and exhilarating. Even though June was unbearably hot, it sealed the deal—Upesh was finally convinced to move to Goa!

Our event poster, happy customers, and me posing with my ceramics (and a bit of my crochet too!). I even collaborated with Suhag, blending crochet and pottery. The second-last image is of my friends Aditi and Aalap (not in the picture), who came all the way from Mumbai for the event.

We moved in August 2024, just in time for the third edition of Dona Paula Potters in December. We barely settled in before diving into another pop-up. This time, Suhag insisted I make more pieces—otherwise, no table! With her encouragement (read: tough love), I got to work.

Firing, as always, had its challenges, and since we didn’t know who to turn to, Saumya—our fellow DPP member and the force behind Rooted in Clay—pointed us toward the ever-reliable Nimmi and Clayton of Mud Skippers Studio. Everything was going smoothly—just as we were getting too comfortable and gearing up for the final firing cycles for my last batch, Clayton’s kiln cover cracked, putting the firing on hold in his studio.

We managed to bisque fire in Suhag’s faithful old Skutt KM-1027, her trusted firing partner for over two decades. But for the glaze firing, we needed a kiln that could handle high temperatures—something Suhag’s kiln couldn’t do.

Scrambling for solutions, I reached out to some of Goa’s ceramic artists I knew from previous pop-ups—Warrel of Think Clay and Vishak of Mrtsna Pottery. But their kilns were too large for my small batch. Finally, someone suggested Thomas.

“Now, who doesn’t know Thomas in Goa?” is a familiar line around here. We had first met Thomas back in our Bangalore days—a dedicated ceramic artist, always immersed in his work. He was preparing to move to Goa when we last crossed paths, and we had lost touch since.

This unexpected kiln hunt led us to his studio in the heart of Panjim—an incredible space, a treasure trove of stunning ceramics and paintings. Thomas, ever gracious, offered his kilns.

In the end, though, thanks to Clayton’s ingenuity, he managed to fix his kiln just in time, and we got our last batch glaze-fired. Crisis averted!

Looking back, those final days were as stressful as ever—finishing up, making sure the glaze was just right, hoping the colours would turn out as expected, filling the kiln, praying nothing would crack, and worrying about temperature fluctuations and power cuts. Sleepless nights are part of the process for a ceramic artist, and this time was no different.

That’s why potters have Kiln Gods and I am beginning to believe in them!

The icing on the cake—we sold out! Old customers returned for more, we made them happy, and in turn, we were thrilled. This whole experience is an incredible high—the joy of seeing your work appreciated, knowing all the hard work and sleepless nights were worth it!

This needs a special mention — Some of my favourite pieces were The Flower Lady, The Fisherwoman and The Coconut Seller. The Flower Lady sold out first thing in the morning to Sanjana, a friend of a friend, and now, a good friend to me. She truly appreciated my art, and that meant a lot. And then came Utpal. He came, he saw… and he bought! A whole lot of my work, just like that. I was amazed and even asked him, “Are you sure you want to buy them all?” His enthusiasm and appreciation floored me. I only wish I had taken a picture of him with all the pieces — my babies! I hope I cross paths with him again someday and get to ask, “So… how are my babies doing?”

The Flower Lady - Here’s me holding Upesh's sketch, then working on the piece, and finally, the completed artwork. Sanjana, a returning customer, bought the Flower Lady on the very first day!

From Upesh's drawings to ceramic creations – the Jalmudi Wala, the Snake Charmer, and the Fisherwoman.

Amidst all this, our man Upesh decided to surprise us—by selling his tape art at the pop-up! While I was immersed in ceramics, he revived a long-lost hobby, creating tape art inspired by his favourite musicians and their songs. He even managed to sell a piece! But this is just the beginning for him—I only hope he keeps the momentum going and doesn’t let it fizzle out again. My aim is to eventually have a dedicated gallery exhibition for his tape art.

You can see more of his work on instagram here.

Upesh proudly showcasing his song-themed tape art, inspired by his favorite tracks from the late ’70s and ’80s. Tom Petty is my favorite in this collection! (Tom Petty somehow played matchmaker for Upesh and me—he’s always been our special connection. I’ll save that story for another post)

I want to end this by saying—Suhag is an inspiration. She’s unconventional, breaks rules (or bends them), and digs her own clay from her farm well or steals it from Avalahalli Forest. She experiments with glaze and specializes in cuerda seca ceramic tiles, a rare art form. She taught me that if you know the basics, you just go for it!

With Leila starting at 50, Suhag encouraging me, and my old and new potter friends—I think I’m truly on my way to going potty!

And as Upesh put it: Potters are gluttons for punishment.

The trials and tribulations we go through just to see our final pieces—yep, we’re truly gluttons for punishment.

My cermaic art can be seen on amuiniceramics