About Mikkel deMib Svendsen
I have always had a strong passion for pottery. Pottery with attitude
I like big pots, pottery with strong textures and outstanding colors. I often refer to it as "Pottery with Attitude.
To pursue this goal I have worked with various techniques - not just to throw, carve and texture my pots but also in how I fire them.
Pottery is usually fired in (at least) two stages. First the dry clay is fired in a so-called "Bisque fire". This turn the clay - which at this stage is essentially just very fragile dried mud, into ceramics - a solid and hard material. This I usually do in a moderne electric pottery kiln.
The next stage - the second fire, is where colors are added. Often this is done with glazes that turn into a hard water proof and (usually) food safe surface. An important part of most glazes is Silica (in various forms), which melt into glas giving the pots this strong, and often shiny, surface.
But there are many kinds of kilns that can be used for this. Besides the electric kiln I quite often also use a Japanese style Raku Kiln and a large Wood Fire kiln. Both of these - very old, methods can help create colors and variations you can't get any other way. It stand out, make very unique pottery. Pottery with attitude.
You can see all my Wood Fired Pottery here - and the Raku Pottery here.
But even that was not enough for me. So a few years ago I took up another way of firering pottery called "Pitfire". With this method no glaze is added. Instead, the pots are wrapped in tin foil, with natural colorants - such as leaves, hay, saw dust, coffee grounds, sea weed and banana peels (to mention just an a few), sulfates oxides and salts and fired in a natural open wood fire.
Pitfire is a method only used and mastered by few - even though it is, as a method, as old as mankind. Maybe it is because it is not as reliable and predictable as other firing methods. But that's what I kind of like. Because what comes out of it - when I succeed, is so outstanding and beautiful.
You can see all my pifired pottery here.
I share my passion on YouTube and Instagram
I have a YouTube channel and an Instagram profile where I show most of my work, work in progress and many of the techniques I use. You are welcome to visit and subscribe to both.
Part time potter - full time artist
Pottery is not my full time job. Since 1997 I have worked with internet - specializing in search engines or what some of you may know as "SEO" (short for Search Engine Optimization). Basically I help companies become more visible in search engines such as Google in the organic (natural/not paid) results.
Between the mid 80's up until 1997 I worked in the music business. I founded a couple of recording studies and worked as engineer, songwriter and producer. I stil make music and have a great studio in my house.
So, in some way or another I have always worked with art and communication.
Over the years I have founded several agencies specializing the SEO, web development and online marketing in general. I also invested in some really interesting tech start ups. My last agency I sold in December 2020 so now I am back to doing consulting on my own. I love it. With less responsibility to shareholders and employees I get more time for pottery.
I have done SEO for many of the worlds biggest brands in USA, Europe and the Middle East but currently I mostly work with Danish companies such as Zanca Sonne, Flypenge and Debtia - all in very competitive markets.
Please feel free to contact me ...
If you have any interesting projects, want to feature some of my pottery in your gallery or an exhibition, have questions about any of my work or need help with SEO please use the form below or e-mail me at: mikkel@demib.com.