A record of those who have lived with the work, shown it in their spaces, or learned at the wheel. No inflated numbers here, just the people and places that make up a decade of studio practice.
A decade of kiln work leaves traces you can see and feel. The pieces in this portfolio are not mass-produced forms with a glaze dipped on top. Each vessel carries decisions made at the wheel, in the glaze bucket, and during the long hours of a wood firing. That is the difference buyers notice when they handle the work in person.
Interior designers and private collectors often mention the same thing: the surface quality is consistent, but no two pieces are identical. That is intentional. The studio keeps detailed records of clay bodies, firing temperatures, and kiln placement for every finished work, so a purchase comes with a clear sense of how it was made.
For a closer look at the range of work, see the studio services and available pieces.
Every project page lists the clay body, glaze materials, and firing temperature. If you buy a piece, you receive those notes with it. That matters when you are choosing work for a specific interior or building a collection with a coherent material language.
The studio works across throwing, hand-building, and slip-casting depending on the form. Functional tableware is made for daily use, with durable glazes and stable foot rings. Sculptural pieces follow the material rather than a fixed template.
Several series use stoneware clay sourced in Gauteng and wood ash collected from a nearby furniture workshop. These materials give the surfaces a regional character that cannot be replicated with commercial glazes alone.
Work has been shown in regional galleries and artist talks across Pretoria and Gauteng. The references page collects those records, along with notes from workshop participants and designers who have sourced pieces for residential and commercial projects.
A decade of working with clay leaves a trail of quiet exchanges. These are some of the words shared after a piece left the studio, a workshop ended, or a commission found its place in a room.
“The ash-glazed vase sits on a low shelf in the hall. Every time the afternoon light hits it, the surface changes. It has a quiet presence that photographs never quite captured.”
“We sourced a set of the carved porcelain bowls for a client’s new apartment. The hand-built feel is exactly what they wanted — nothing factory-perfect, just honest material.”
“The weekend hand-building class was my first real contact with clay. Li Jun’s instructions were clear, and the pace felt right for a complete beginner. I left with a small bowl I still use.”
Work placed with
A short list of galleries, studios, and stockists who have carried the pieces over the past few years. Each relationship started with a conversation about clay, not a contract, and that is still how new ones begin.
Gallery representation
Represented a selection of ash-glazed stoneware vessels in their annual contemporary craft survey. Two pieces from the eucalyptus firing series are held in their permanent collection.
Stockist
Carries the botanical porcelain tableware line for retail. A steady relationship since 2021, with restocks timed to each new firing season rather than a fixed schedule.
Exhibition venue
Hosted the site-specific installation at the decommissioned brick factory. The collective continues to invite process talks on wood firing and kiln building for their member program.
Workshop partner
Runs the beginner hand-building classes in partnership with the studio. The centre provides the space and handles enrollment; the studio supplies clay, tools, and teaching.
Commission client
A design practice that sources one-off vases and sculptural vessels for private residential projects. They have commissioned three site-specific ceramic features for hospitality spaces.
Residency host
Provided a two-month residency focused on large-scale thrown forms. The resulting vessels were shown in a solo exhibition at the residency gallery in 2023.
For trade inquiries or to discuss a commission, the studio is reachable by phone at 035-351-0310 or by email at info@lijunliang.com.