Sivaldo Leite
Correia
Pleased to meet you! I am Sivaldo Leite Correia, a potter and researcher in art ceramics from southern Brazil, Santa Catarina state.
I have been working with pottery since I was a child, helping my father, who was a skilled wheel-throwing potter, in my native city in northeastern Brazil (Sergipe state).
"45+ years of dedication to the ancient craft of pottery."
I assisted my father with the production of hundreds of wares daily since I was still a child. I also enjoyed using the wheel during my time off. Thus, at the age of 14, I was already a skilled wheel-throwing potter, modelling hundreds of wares daily at the wheel.
Besides my expertise in wheel-throwing, I also have important knowledge of ceramic material science and technology (characterisation, compounding, modelling, processing, etc.) as a result of my Chemical Engineering degree, and my Master’s and PhD in Ceramic Science and Engineering.
You can find more information about me by accessing a more complete description below.
Experience as a Potter in Southern Brazil
For more than 45 years, I have been working with pottery, on a full-time or part-time basis. I have been engaged in the production of different kinds of wares using wheel throwing (including big pieces in height and diameter, like pots, bowls, spheres, cylinders, cones, etc.). I have also been working with decoration, trimming, drying, wood firing, electric kiln firing, etc.
During the last 25 years, I have been working with scientific and technical issues related to art ceramics. Using my knowledge of chemical engineering and ceramic science and engineering, I have been able to apply it to various problem-solving and improvements related to the processing and fabrication of art ceramic wares. Thus, during this period I have dedicated myself to research, lectures, courses, as well as the development and production of ceramic materials (ceramic bodies, engobes, glazes) for pottery and art ceramic applications. I have also investigated and solved problems (troubleshooting) related to modelling, body and engobe, drying issues, firing/kiln issues, defects in bodies, engobes and glazes, safety and toxicity in the studio, food-safe wares, microwave-safe, dinnerware-safe, etc.
Academic Background
I studied at Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC, Florianópolis) where I graduated in Chemical Engineering in 1989.
Later, I got a Master’s degree in Ceramic Science and Engineering (1996), with research based on ceramic bodies for tiles, such as stoneware and porcelain.
Afterwards, in 2004, I got a PhD degree in Ceramic Science and Engineering (UFSC/University of Aveiro, Portugal), with research on ceramic bodies for porcelain tiles.
I also developed studies on ceramics as a Post-Doc researcher at Imperial College London (London, England), Centre for Advanced Structural Ceramics (CASC), Department of Materials (2010-2011).
During the period 1996 to 2020, I primarily worked as a Professor, and then later as a Full Professor at State University of Santa Catarina (UDESC), lecturing classes on chemistry, physical chemistry, thermodynamic chemistry, laboratory of chemistry, ceramic material science and engineering, statistics, etc. I also conducted research on ceramic materials and supervised several Master and PhD students.
Since 2023, I have been retired as a Full Professor at UDESC.
My group and I at the University have published several papers in important and highly cited journals related to ceramic materials, such as characterisation, composition, and processing. Some journals include Journal of the European Ceramic Society, Ceramics International, Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Cerámica y Vidrio, Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Journal of Materials Science, etc.
Selected Publications
Papers published in highly cited journals on ceramic materials, characterisation, composition, and processing.
Artistic Gallery
Get in Touch
Interested in academic collaboration, ceramic research, or artistic commissions? Feel free to reach out through the channels below.