In addition to my scholarly work, I enjoy ceramics and gardening among a number of other “avocations.” I mainly work in translucent porcelain using the nerikomi technique to create intricately patterned works with intense colours. Nerikomi (also called neriage) is a ceramic process originating in Japan. It involves staining clay (in this case porcelain), stacking the coloured clay in various configurations, and then slicing through these stacks (called canes or rods – similar to millefiori glasswork) to reveal patterns. These patterns can then be combined to create even more elaborate patterns.I occasionally post some of my work on Instagram (@heidimarx71).