Pottery is for the cottage
I showed a pic of some trays I made yesterday with a ragged edge. I enjoyed eating sushi from one of Takuro Shibata's at a wonderful chef presented meal my friend Doc Agel treated me to in Atlanta, GA.
My ole curmudgeon buddy Al Tennant told me sharp edges are nice but not for functional ware. Further in the conversation Al said " Even expressive pots need to consider their function." I love the expression " expressive" when referring to work that has something to say.
All throughout my childhood I remember my mum's china cabinet and her collection of gold rimmed teacups and saucers. I remember the Royal Doulton rose petaled dinnerware. This was referred to as "mum's fine china" and it was washed and dried with care. All my friends mums had fine china. When away a gift brought home for mum was often a Bone China cup and saucer with a pretty floral decoration on it.
Our everyday dinnerware at my parents home was Denby Stoneware -Potter's Wheel pattern. The Royal Doulton was for Sunday roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and roast cooked potatoes,carrots and my mum's horrible greasy gravy.
Pot- tree as my mum called it was good for cottage country and everyday meals but formal dinners were served on Fine China.
I use potter's pots every day and I have had some break and chip that I still mourn. The ones that cost me more money, I treat a little more preciously and some only get used occasionally. I have a Yi Dynasty rice bowl that has never seen rice in my house anyways.
Here is a little cup and saucer with a gold rim and the most incredible decoration that my Uncle Jimmie brought home from Europe after serving 5 years in the trenches of WW2. He left it to me as something precious and meaningful.
Would I put it in the dishwasher if I had one? I think that thinness and being vulnerable to harsher treatment might be part of the money equation comparing stoneware to porcelain. I think it is still as true as Denby versus Royal Doulton was in the Clennell household of the 50's and 60's. Make pots that mean something, are precious and may chip if not treated with love and respect.
My ole curmudgeon buddy Al Tennant told me sharp edges are nice but not for functional ware. Further in the conversation Al said " Even expressive pots need to consider their function." I love the expression " expressive" when referring to work that has something to say.
 |
| Handwash. |
 |
| Too bad they aren't going to be blue! |
All throughout my childhood I remember my mum's china cabinet and her collection of gold rimmed teacups and saucers. I remember the Royal Doulton rose petaled dinnerware. This was referred to as "mum's fine china" and it was washed and dried with care. All my friends mums had fine china. When away a gift brought home for mum was often a Bone China cup and saucer with a pretty floral decoration on it.
Our everyday dinnerware at my parents home was Denby Stoneware -Potter's Wheel pattern. The Royal Doulton was for Sunday roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and roast cooked potatoes,carrots and my mum's horrible greasy gravy.
Pot- tree as my mum called it was good for cottage country and everyday meals but formal dinners were served on Fine China.
I use potter's pots every day and I have had some break and chip that I still mourn. The ones that cost me more money, I treat a little more preciously and some only get used occasionally. I have a Yi Dynasty rice bowl that has never seen rice in my house anyways.
Here is a little cup and saucer with a gold rim and the most incredible decoration that my Uncle Jimmie brought home from Europe after serving 5 years in the trenches of WW2. He left it to me as something precious and meaningful.
 |
| This is a blue cup I have fallen in love with. |
Would I put it in the dishwasher if I had one? I think that thinness and being vulnerable to harsher treatment might be part of the money equation comparing stoneware to porcelain. I think it is still as true as Denby versus Royal Doulton was in the Clennell household of the 50's and 60's. Make pots that mean something, are precious and may chip if not treated with love and respect.
Comments