Thursday, June 25, 2015

Bucket List Item

The first half of the set, glazed.
Ever since I first learned how to do pottery, way back in 1969, I have wanted to make a set of dishes. Making a set of anything in pottery presents the challenge of uniformity.  One must make plates and bowls of similar size and shape so that the set makes sense and stacks well.  One must design it in such a way that the function remains while the decoration is still pleasing.  Glazes must be food-safe and the dishes themselves should be able to go through the dishwasher.  No pits or indentations should trap food.  The set should go into the microwave without issue.  The dishes must be durable.

I've done it!

It just took me a lifetime but I've completed a full set for my daughter.  I still have some glazing to do on the bowls, plates and mugs but that will be done by this weekend.  Last summer I delivered the luncheon plates, soup mugs and serving items, shown here.  This summer I'll take the coffee mugs, dinner plates, and two sizes of bowls.  My daughter, like me, makes many soups and stews.  The bigger
The second half of the set, as yet, still unglazed.
bowls will work nicely for those and the tiny bowls are so handy for desserts, cooking prep and more.

At 19 I did not have the skills to pull this off.  Today I do.  For that, I thank my former teachers, especially Gary Clontz.

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