BLANKS

Illustrated is what I refer to as a "blank" and I must admit it doesn't necessarily make for an exciting picture. This blank, one of five, four squares and an oval built up too quickly in the afternoon and are just too wet to decorate with the exception of the oval one which was the first and is now complete and ready for the bisque. The group are made of terra cotta and have a thin layer of black slip applied and should be ready to carve tomorrow in the late morning. I needed this group for a selection of pots I am working on for a gallery space and needed some tebori and snowberry pieces and the square tray forms fit the bill. This particular piece will have a flying birds motif inked on it as a preparatory sketch and then I will carve out the design, one tray after another. I like the carving process in small doses of four or five pieces and try to have other work to engage in like tooling or throwing to keep the process from getting too stiff of tiring. Luckily I threw a group pf 4.5lb bowls and two 18" plates and I need a group of small "side bowls" ordered by a customer that need to be thrown so the carving should go just fine or at least that is my hope.