For class tonight I did a couple demos of throwing plates & platters. For this dinner plate I channeled my inner Steven Showalter… trying out some of his amazing textural slip work! Thanks Steven for being such a great teacher & sharing so much online. Love your work, your techniques & your willingness to share! I just payed it forward!!

Be sure to follow Steven on Instagram – @stevenshowalterpottery

In my Intermediate Wheelthrowing class today, I did a little sgraffito carving demo for them… using my favorite DiamondCore Tools! They learned how to throw platters in class two weeks ago… it only seemed right that we “finish” the demo platter with a little “demo” sgraffito!!!

And what’s better than a fun day at an art fair?… when friends drive two hours from Central Illinois just to see me, my pottery AND they bring homemade fudge!!! Plain chocolate & chocolate-marshmallow fudge!!! So yummy… fresh from Maurie’s Candy Shop down in Eureka, Illinois.

I love good friends & good fudge!!!
Thanks Keith & Julie so good to see you… and your fudge!!!

During class last Saturday, I showed my students how to throw dinner plates. My demo piece has been under plastic in my studio… and it was finally time to do a bit of stamping!!!

I also showed my Saturday students how to throw a larger platter… which gives you more space to decorate! More space, MORE STAMPING!!!…

And you know my motto… more is more!!!

And then…. almost as if it were a Martha Stewart cooking show… I switched out the platter to one I had thrown a couple days ago to prepare for the demo. This one was a bit stiffer – the wetter-side of leatherhard I like to call it. And then we did a stamping demo on the platter using one stamp for most of it, and then a couple little details along the rim! Fun demo for everyone!!!

This morning with my Intermediate Wheelthrowing class, we tackled how to throw good plates & platters. A dinner with a smoothly curved flange, and a larger platter with a flared out rim. One with a nice spiral, the other with concentric circles just to mix it up a bit!!!

Doing a little more stamping in the studio. It’s been awhile since I’ve done a full platter like this… what with the pandemic and all… but it does feel good to be re-focused, back to teaching, and back on track!

Just one hour left… I’m starting to assemble the “official” POP-UP POTTERY SALE Photo Album that I’ll post only on my Fire When Ready Pottery Facebook page at 7:00pm CST.

Once it’s LIVE… the first person to comment with “MINE” in the Comment Section of a single photo gets that pot! It’s first come, first serve… and a bit old-school. But it seems to work for me… as everyone can see what’s been claimed already, and what is still available.

You’ve seen a lot of previews today…
we’ve got just about an hour until the shopping begins! WHOO-HOO!!!

Click HERE to go right to my Facebook page!!!

Just one of the sgraffito platters that will be part of this evening’s POP-UP POTTERY SALE only on my Fire When Ready Pottery Facebook page… just four hours away! They’re each hand-carved & one-of-a-kind… so when they’re gone, they’re gone! Starting tonight at 7:00pm CST.

Special thanks to DiamondCore Tools​ for kick-starting my sgraffito adventures… a few great carving tools and look what happened!!!

You know how I LOVE a good spiral…
even more when it’s surrounded by a fun sgraffito carved pattern!…
thanks in part to the best carving tools from DiamondCore Tools​!

This is just one of the porcelain platters that will be included in my POP-UP POTTERY SALE only on my Fire When Ready Pottery Facebook page! The fun starts in just five hours… 7:00pm CST. Click on this LINK then to see the “official” Photo Album to shop from!