RINGS OF GRASS

Illustrated is another large terra cotta tebori carved platter with an inner and outer ring of the carved GRASSES pattern. I enjoy making plates from small luncheon plates to larger 24" wall pieces that are made so that they can hang on the wall as decoration or simple storage. For me making plates goes way back to diversifying what I was making early on at the suggestion of Dick Schneider at Cleveland State University. In the beginning all I wanted to make was teabowls as that was a primary interest and thanks to Dick I took up the challenge and decided there was a lot more to ceramics than making small bowls. 

Over the years I have made hundreds and hundreds of plates but love coming back to the black and white and carved black slip employed on terra cotta, perhaps it is the reminiscent comfort of those early days learning to make pots and trying just about whatever sprung to mind. The grasses pattern in particular has been a favorite to carve, the repeat and routine of removing slip to reveal the design exposes the richness of the red clay and once fired creates a great contrast between the clay and slip, the very simplest components of making pottery.