Sitting in a lane behind the pawn shop on Julu Lu, the Spin Ceramics and Art workshop looks about as unassuming as its sisters Shintori and People 7, the other establishments run by Spin's Executive Director Jeremy Kuo. Only once you venture into its cavernous interior, do you discover the dimly lit grottoes of precious teacups, plates and vases.

Though its name alludes to the pottery wheel, Spin also represents a turn from the traditional, regimented, ornamental ceramics to a cleaner more modern look and although Spin has avoided traditional china patterns, they have still kept in touch with their Chinese roots. From their base in the world-renowned porcelain capital of Jingdezhen they employ ancient methods: a potting wheel, natural drying processes and traditional glazes to make their exquisite pieces.

Although using traditional techniques isn't always convenient says Germaine Zhou, president of Spin, "It's sometimes hard because we don't want to rush the process. If we dry outside, it can take up to three weeks, which can really hold things up." The works are painted using a palette of glazes from the Yuan dynasty era of Jingdezhen. The pieces are first painted with egg-white glaze (named after the color of goose eggs), which gives the pieces a soft greenish reflection. They are then decorated with a blue under glaze, and "copper motif" (a blood-red copper-oxide glaze) that used to be only reserved for the emperor.

Artistic Director, Garry Wang has developed a new method of applying the
glaze by cutting into the clay with a string and then letting the glaze drip down the piece creating a water color effect which echoes Chinese painting with its undulating lines and abundant white space.

Spin's principles (organic, simple, elegant and fluent) provide a basic
framework for the style, but the team of designers is always coming up with fresh pieces. Currently, Spin has a large selection of works including white angular teapots and crumpled sake bottles in natural textures with dripping glazes. For Christmas, they are working on a selection of giftware, which will employ a technique called reticulation, in Chinese "linglong" or "guigong" which translates as "devil's work." The "linglong" pieces have impossibly fine, translucent areas, which allow light through giving depth and texture to the design.

Spin's unique style is beginning to catch on as other ceramics manufacturers are starting to turn out copies, but Germaine Zhou seems unworried: "They have copied us but their prices are much higher and their quality much lower." With reasonable prices (Y20 for a water cup, Y60-80 for a teacup) stock has been flying off the shelves - hurry before it's all gone!

Spin Ceramics & Art Workshop
Bld. 3, 758 Julu Lu (nr Fumin Lu)
T: 13916314424 - Germaine Zhou
Open Daily: 12-10:30 pm_

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shguide@cityweekend.com.cn