Behind the Scenes: The Art of Handcrafted Pottery

The journey of a hand painted plate begins with a clean, blank canvas. This is a stoneware plate that I have shaped and smoothed, ready for its design. Every beautiful piece starts with this simple, humble step.

The next step is to apply the base colors. For this plate, I chose a bold combination of orange and blue over a dark background. This layering of colors is what creates the vibrant final look.

After the base colors are applied, I begin the sgraffito process. Here, I am carefully carving away the top layer of color to reveal the white clay underneath, creating the outlines of the leaves.

A close up look at the texture created by the sgraffito technique. You can see how the carved lines give the leaves definition and depth. It is these small, handmade details that make each piece special.

This video shows the sgraffito process in action on a different piece. I am carving delicate veins into these colorful leaves, a meditative process that requires a steady hand. This surface decoration technique is one of my favorites.

Sgraffito is a versatile technique that works beautifully for creating detailed illustrations on clay. Here, a student in my workshop is carving a beautiful snake and moth design onto a plate.

This is a technique called slip trailing, where I apply liquid clay in fine dots to create a raised, textured pattern. I am using it here to create the center of a large, abstract ceramic flower.

These are hand carved and painted ceramic tiles, ready to be used in a mural or as decorative accents. Each tile has a unique floral design, showcasing different carving and painting styles.

Here I am using the sgraffito technique on colored clay. By carving through the surface, I can create intricate line drawings, like this detailed floral mandala.