After Tuesday’s “not-so-basic” basic bowl demo… I did a bit of detailing today with some stamps & textures. You know I subscribe to the school of MORE IS MORE.

So this afternoon I did a little bit MORE to the bowls!

Last night during my Beginning & Advanced Beginning Wheelthrowing class, we tackled making a bowl on purpose… instead of a cylinder gone bad. We discussed the differences… and how I can see if it started out as a cylinder… tsk-tsk!

After doing a demo on a basic bowl, I explained how the wheel pretty much makes the plain bowl for you… but it’s up to YOU to decorate it and make it your own! So I threw a bunch of basic bowls during class for us to “play with” later!

And then we re-grouped when I was done throwing all of the bowls. We then went through a quick barrage of tricks & techniques for doing some surface decorations to their bowls. None of them are too difficult. It’s more about encouraging them to give it a try, commit to something, having fun… and i fit doesn’t work, we can always squish it up, re-wedge it and try again. IT’S JUST CLAY!!!

Bowl #1 – The “Control” Sample… this is what they all started out like…

Bowl #2 – a simple fluted edge in four places

Bowl #3 – a simple flared-out flange

Bowl #4 – A wider flared flange… more “canvas” for decorating!

Bowl #5 – a split rim with two side dents…
good potential for a basket handle to go up & over the top

Bowl #6 – Another split rim – this time with four dents making kind of a quatrefoil squared-off effect

Bowl #7 – Another split rim… this time with eight finger-pinched sections

Bowl #8 – another split rim with eight dented sections… four inwards & four outwards – creating a bit of a lotus effect

Bowl #9 – Thick white slip with a tight spiral dragged through using the rounded end of my wooden knife.

Bowl #10 – Thick white slip with some concentric banding.

Bowl #11 – Thick white slip with loose fingsr-painting squiggles.

Bow #12 – Thick white slip with groovy squiggle pattern using the rounded end of my wooden knife.

Bowl #13 – Chattering…. rhythmic tapping of a rubber rib through the thick white slip while the bowl was spinning on the wheel.

Bowl #14 – Another bowl with chattering….
this time a bit more angular & linear in the center… by request.

Bowl #15 – An ombre blended gradation of black & white slips… then a fun spiral dragged through both.

So for now they’re all under plastic up in my studio. The class demo was a lot of fun for everyone… just trying to show off some tricks & techniques for decorating basic bowls! I will continue to “detail” them… and possibly do a little stamping in the days to come!

Looks like another ETSY purchase made its way to its forever home! A sweet stamped & yellow glazed bowl that looks like it’s already making its way to salad heaven! Plus a stamped & soda-fired mug that looks like it has already made a bunch of friends… and a “stacked” place of honor in an already booming Mug Collection!!!

Thanks for sharing Anita…
and it looks like you might need some more shelving?!!!

Don’t forget that my ETSY shop is always open if you need to add something to YOUR collection!!!… https://www.etsy.com/shop/FireWhenReadyPottery

Trimming off the ribbons from this bowl thrown with marbled clay. I love trimming with my DiamondCore Tools … especially when shaving off the outer “skin” of the blurred clay to reveal the stark contrast of the marbled clay inside. Looks like it’s MARBLED MONDAY… spinning & trimming on my wheel!

With fresh berries popping up everywhere, it’s the perfect time for a new berry bowl. Just rinse your berries in the strainer bowl, then place it on the plate and they’re ready to be served in your stamped pottery bowl. Easy-peezy… and healthy too!

Plenty of new berry bowls available in my new ETSY SHOP…
www.etsy.com/shop/firewhenreadypottery

Looking forward to pear season… and until then, this fake pear will have to do. I mean, it does make this stamped bowl look even better. A little pop of color in a white bowl with dark tenmoku glaze inlaid in the stamps!

As part of tonight’s Stamping Demo on ZOOM, I demonstrated on four different bowls adding a bit of texture & pattern to each of them. Here are the four demo bowls… followed by a few details shots, as well as pictures of the stamps that worked their magic!

Bowl #1 –

Bowl #2 –

Bowl #3 –

Bowl #4 –

Tonight I did my stamping demo on ZOOM as part of the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR. We had a great time, answered a lot of questions, covered a lot of topics and stamped a couple bowls along the way! We thought it would be maybe 20 minutes… turned out a bit longer… almost a full hour longer!!! Like I said, we covered a LOT!!!

As part of the Pottery Tour, they’re hosting free demos by several of the Potters… all you need to do is register for free on the website! More of demos tomorrow – www.northernilpotterytour.com

Feeling a little “blue”?… or needing a little “yellow” pick-me up?! Well, these bowls will be available this weekend on my new ETSY SHOP… starting Friday morning at 8:00am! Just a little hint of things to come… get ready for the big NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR this weekend… www.northernilpotterytour.com

A few more bowls… a few more colors, a few more stamps… and who doesn’t LOVE a good spiral?! Always food-safe & dishwasher-safe. Perfect for everyday use… just not guaranteed “gravity-safe”! A few more pieces that will show up in my “brand new” ETSY SHOP during the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR next weekend!