Chun Plum Over Smokey Merlot by Shelley McQueen

Purple AMACO combo by Shelley McQueen

The Chun Plum over Smokey Merlot glaze combination by Shelley McQueen creates a fresh, vivid, and luminous purple with beautiful depth. Where the glaze thins at the edges, warm wine-red tones emerge, while the center pools into an intense, glowing violet.

This combination is especially striking on bright white clay bodies such as Blackwattle Snow White, where the colors remain clean and vibrant. The interaction between the cooler purple of Chun Plum and the reddish undertones of Smokey Merlot adds subtle warmth and visual complexity, resulting in a smooth, glossy surface.

Fired to Cone 5 with a short hold, Chun Plum over Smokey Merlot delivers consistent, richly saturated results suitable for both functional and decorative ceramics.

Glazing details:

• Clay body: Blackwattle Snow White Clay
• AMACO Smokey Merlot x3
• AMACO Chun Plum x3
• Fired to Cone 5 with a 30-minute hold

The result is a smooth, rich surface with a deep, almost glowing violet hue. The reddish undertones of Smokey Merlot seem to warm up the cooler purple of Chun Plum, giving the pieces a layered depth and subtle variation.

Credit: Shelley McQueen