Nicci Daniele

Clay has become my language of expression, and I’m always drawn to how it records touch. Every press, scratch, and impression remains in the surface, and I work with texture as a way to tell stories. My pieces are layered and carved so that the surface itself feels alive and engaging.

Underglazes are essential to how I bring this texture forward. They don’t mask the clay, but instead emphasize depth, catching on carved lines or brushing across raised edges. I love kiwi underglaze in particular for its stability— colour variations and affordability. What excites me is how these colours hold their integrity in the kiln; they don’t burn out but stay rich and vibrant. An opaque finish with just one or two layers to a delicate watercolour effect when diluted, depending on how I apply it. That flexibility lets me highlight details with precision, or brush a piece with diluted colours for a subtle water colour effect. Wiping back applied colours so as to highlight textures. Application with sponges, brushes and air brushes also work beautifully.

For me, kiwi underglaze brings out the surfaces I’ve built in clay. To be honest I really love how clay looks before any colour is applied. Often I find that adding colour can ruin a piece as the information on the surface changes too much with the colour change but I find kiwi seldom disappoints and then its just up to the kiln gods to play nice!