WOVEN

I first used this design for a set of commissioned dinnerware quite a few years back. This decoration is simple, elemental and as old as pottery itself and was intended to go with a large natural wood table with a rich defined wood grain and an almost primitive appeal. Somewhere among the myriad of photos and images I have a picture of the table and dinnerware all set out and admittedly the wood and clay work rather well together. This platter has inherited that decoration of quick sgraffito through a black slip to expose the rich terra cotta underneath and create a continuous woven patter that literally falls off the rim of the piece. As you can see in the picture, I have very casually and spontaneously carved the lines making up the pattern though in the past I have used a straight edge to make an exactingly precise design but I far prefer this as happened appearance. I have tried to remember where  I first saw this decoration, perhaps an old pot or piece of ikat dyed cloth but it is safe to say that this patterning was around long before I made use of it and will likely be around long, long after as well.