Mina Totino really likes the square plates I make for her. They’re simply a clay slab slumped into an old electric frying pan, with the edges tidied up when the clay is firmer. Thinking that if others, and I, would like to paint some more I decided to make a clay mould and simplify the job.

So now I have a bisque-fired form and can slump the slab into that, leaving the base to sit on an absorbent surface, and cut the edge accurately right away. I had to try it out at once so made the first plate before I’d even bisqued the form. It was that red clay, leather-hard plate that I painted while the four recent Raiders were here in Feb. 

Using one of my recent yunomis as inspiration I produced the plate you see. I have no idea really how the design happens but just enjoy the process of applying my favourite slips. The final black lines break up the shapes and the red brush stroke just makes it zing! When it’s dry I like to paint the underside with terra sigillata. The contrasting satin feel and terra cotta colour make a nice contrast to the super shiny top surface. Now I realize I have so many other ideas to play with.

When it came out of the kiln the other day and Marlene took all the others to Vancouver this was the only one here so yes, I rewarded myself with a photo of it and its matching yunomi, and one biscotti!