How to Make a Floral-Patterned Ceramic Mirror Frame with Colored Clay Renee Tsai

Drawing inspiration from textiles, nature, and the quiet beauty of everyday life, Renee Tsai embeds hand-formed appliqué details into slabs to create intricate, quilt-like porcelain surfaces. In this step-by-step post, an excerpt from the November/December 2025 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated, Renee demonstrates how she constructs her patterned porcelain slabs and shapes them into a delicate, flower-inspired mirror frame. –Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor

Constructing the Patterned Slab 

Begin by rolling a ball of pre-colored clay into a round slab, aiming for about 5/16 inch (8 mm) thick and 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter (1). Use guide sticks to ensure the slab is an even thickness from edge to edge. To create the patterned surface, start with this slab of pre-colored porcelain. Choose a piece that is a different color from the base slab that you rolled out. Then, using your fingers, pinch small pieces of pre-colored clay into shapes like circles, teardrops, or organic dots. Gently press them into the slab while both are still soft (2). Instead of slicing or cutting shapes, treat the colored clay like tiny appliqué elements, embedding them directly by hand (3). After filling the surface, lightly compress the slab with your hands to secure the pieces and even out the thickness without distorting the design. The result is a soft, layered pattern that feels both spontaneous and textile-like.

Once the patterned slab design is complete, use a rolling pin to evenly flatten it to about 3/16 inch (5 mm) thick (4), flipping the slab after each pass. Use a soft rubber rib to compress both sides evenly (5).

Cutting and Framing 

Next, use a clay knife to cut a freeform flower-like outer shape, keeping the slab as large as possible (6). Then, place a round bowl in the center as a guide and cut out a circle to form the mirror opening (7). Tip: The cut-out circle can be saved and repurposed into a plate. 

After shaping the frame, gently smooth the edges with a damp sponge to soften any sharp lines. 

Adding the Hanging Supports 

Flip the form over and score the edge around the opening (8). This will add some tooth, or roughness, to the surface so the mirror can be epoxied to it after the firing. 

To make the mirror hangable, I attach three small tabs to the back of the frame. These tabs are made from leftover pieces trimmed from the edges of the flower-shaped slabs. Cut them into small rectangles and poke two holes into each one (9). Note: It’s important to remember that the holes will shrink during firing, so they shouldn’t be too small. 

Attach the tabs evenly around the back of the frame, approximately ¾–1⅛ inch (2–3 cm) in from the inner circle cutout (10). This leaves enough space for the mirror to be added after firing. Besides functioning as a support for threading wire or hardware after firing, the tabs also lift the mirror slightly away from the wall, creating a subtle visual depth when the piece is hung. 

Renee Tsai is a ceramic artist based in Tainan, Taiwan. She runs her own studio, where she creates ceramic works and teaches regularly. She has participated in both domestic and international exhibitions, and has completed artist residencies abroad. See more at www.reneeceramics.com or @renee_ceramics on Instagram.