Client Story | Loki & LoStone - A Tile for a New Era with Valentine Clays
When Valentine Clays Ltd approached me with a commission to mark the launch of their groundbreaking new product, LoStone, I knew immediately that this would be a memorable project. LoStone isn’t just another clay body, it represents a genuine shift in ceramics: a low-fire stoneware designed to vitrify at temperatures far below what was once thought possible. Strong, durable, stoneware performance at cone 3; a breakthrough for makers, kilns and the planet.
To celebrate this innovation, I created a bespoke encaustic tile that captured both the spirit of the material and the identity of the company. The result is a piece that combines modern craft, heritage technique and a mascot loved by everyone at Valentine Clays.
Loki, LoStone, and a Tile That Marks a Milestone
At the heart of the design is Loki, the company’s beloved bulldog mascot; rendered in warm buff and brown tones against a deep black background. His character comes through beautifully in encaustic form: loyal, gently stubborn and proudly iconic. 🤣
Above him is the Valentine Clays logo, translated into a bold pink inlay that contrasts sharply and cleanly against the darker body.
The tile became more than a commemorative object; it became a celebration of a turning point in material innovation.
Loki on paw-trol - Animal portraits in inlaid ceramic
A Clay That Changes the Conversation
LoStone itself is an extraordinary achievement. Traditionally, true vitrified stoneware demands temperatures between 1220°C and 1280°C. Even the most adaptable clays seldom reach vitrification below cone 5.
LoStone changes that.
It offers:
Full vitrification from cone 3 (1165°C)
Energy savings of up to 16% when firing at these lower temperatures
A doubling of kiln element life thanks to reduced thermal strain
Accessibility for makers using home, school or shared-space kilns
A vastly lower carbon footprint compared with standard stoneware firing
For makers working from home, in small studios, community workshops and classrooms with low-temperature kilns, LoStone makes professional, durable stoneware possible for the first time.
For industry, it marks a meaningful step toward sustainability.
For potters, it opens a new creative and technical landscape.
The birthday boy! - Loki celebrating his 3rd/21st at Valentine Clays
A Collaboration Marked in Clay
This commission was a joy to create — not only because the imagery was fun and characterful but because the context behind it mattered. Innovation in clay doesn’t happen often and LoStone represents both possibility and responsibility….. and Loki, of course, sits proudly in the middle of it all.
Working with Valentine Clays Ltd on this project was an honour. Their belief that “innovation in clay can shape more than pots — it can shape a better future” resonates deeply. Craft evolves when materials evolve and this commission allowed me to mark that evolution in a way that will last as long as the clay itself.
This tile stands as a small tribute to a big leap forward.
A celebration of a material that will help makers work more sustainably.
A symbol of a company pushing at the edges of what’s possible.
A moment in ceramic history, captured in encaustic form.
Want your pet immortalised in clay? Commission a bespoke ceramic portrait and celebrate them forever.