Animal ware

This is a small plate with a large, friendly bear done with Underglazes

The original idea for this design was the following set of dishes, an order made for a child whose family raise sheep. It was hand drawn using underglazes on a white stoneware, which was then covered with my favorite transparent glaze. Because it was for a little child, I curved the plate rim in so he would be able to scoop the food next to the rim making it easier for him to learn to use silverware.

Two Plates

From my last firing I got these two plates. They are very different in style.

The first plate:

I am still interested in portraying birds on my ceramics. This time rather than underglazes, I have done a brown pelican using the champleve technique. Champleve is like scraffito only it is carved deeper and showing more of the clay under the slip. I particularly like the negative space formed by the head and left wing of this bird.

This plate was based on a bowl from the Umayyads of A;-Andalus from around 936 AD. I like it very much, this may be my favotite Medieval design ever. My design is done in underglazes as was the original. Mine, of course, is fired hotter and does not use lead in the glazes.

Bowls, bowls, and more bowls

These freshly thrown bowls are destined to be decorated by friends.

The Palouse Studio Potters Guild is holding an "Empty Bowls" chairty April 19th. For this we gather handmade bowls. http://www.emptybowls.com/ The website says: "The basic idea for Empty Bowls is simple. Participants create ceramic bowls, then serve a simple meal of soup and bread. Guests choose a bowl to use that day and to keep as a reminder that there are always Empty Bowls in the world. In exchange for a meal and the bowl, the guest gives a suggested minimum donation of ten dollars. The meal sponsors and /or guests choose a hunger-fighting organization to receive the money collected".

We are actually asking $15.00 for a bowl, still a great bargain. The funds we generate will be given to Oxfam and a local small town food bank that is in dire need of food.

This is the most wonderful activity. The Moscow Food Co-op provides 2 homemade soups and bread. We have offers of about 200 bowls from potters. The unfired bowls in the picture above will be decorated by non-potters (but artistic people) in two small workshops. I am also donating quite a few bowls.

This is another example of my Celtic Knotwork pottery. Bowls are such wonderful designs to decorate.

This is a simply designed soup bowl, simple for me and the way I work anyway.

Pipkin goodness

This is the pipkin and pouring bowl set I made for my son and daughter in law. They aren't interested in Medieval recreation, but love camping. This set will work well for their camp cookery.

This is what the pipkin looks like.

The side handle is hollow to help with insulation and makes it more comfortable to pick up unless it gets very hot, then a pot holder is advised. The lid has a loop handle, the cook can pick it up with a stick or end of a wooden spoon to check on the cooking contents. Finally the tripod legs are so it can fit reasonably securely over the coals.

These pots are so much fun to use.

See my October '07 post showing pipkins in use