Nicholas Lees’ Floating Bowl series are made from Parian. The introduction of colour is inspired by works on paper with ink, in which the interaction between wet and dry is used as a parallel for movement and the uncertainty of perception. The use of soluble metal salts in colouring ceramic is an unusual technique. In this case, a solution of soluble gold  is applied to the interior of the biscuit fired pieces. The pieces are then saturated and, as they dry, the colour moves through the form and concentrates onto the edges of the fins through the suction caused by faster evaporation from those edges. The pieces are then fired to their top temperature to vitrify them. There is some cold work with diamond abrasive to finish the surface and make a stable base.