On first glance at Matt Hiller's pots, you might assume that his signature floral decoration is done with stamps. But Matt methodically pushes the clay with a blunt tool to create each individual petal. This creates a lively, organic rhythm that would be hard to match with a stamp.
In this excerpt from the May/June 2026 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated, Matt explains his technique, from carefully dividing the pot into equal sections, to "plowing" individual petals into soft leather-hard clay with the back of a paintbrush. –Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor
For this demonstration, I have chosen my “All Over” flower decoration. I begin by dividing the pot equally around the circumference using my circle divider tool (from: loftedacrestudios.square.site), a straight edge, and a needle tool (1). Once divided equally, I set my spring divider to the width between the vertical lines and begin drawing semicircles in a horizontal row across the top of the pot. The spacing for the next row is determined by positioning one point of the spring divider between the four and five o’clock positions of a circle from the row above, and the other point of the divider on the vertical line that divides the circles from the above row (1). Once this point is determined, use a needle tool to draw a horizontal line on the pot as it spins on a banding wheel, and proceed to make circles at the intersection of this horizontal line and every other vertical line.
Caution: Be sure to check and adjust your spring divider width at the start of each new row to account for expanding or narrowing curves, as the size of the flowers needs to expand or contract proportionally.
You will repeat these steps all the way down to the bottom as well as on the cone and lid. For this particular design, I draw a second circle inside each circle that is half the diameter of the original. Now that the layout and outlines of the flowers are determined, begin “plowing” individual petals into the clay using the back end of a paintbrush. I refer to this method of mark making as “plowing” because when done properly the soft clay piles up on the surface of the pot just like how snow piles up in front of a plow truck. The motion starts with the tool tip in the middle of the “flower” and is pressed into the clay as you move the tool outward from the center (3). For best results and to avoid hand injuries, this process should be done at a very soft leather hard.
Matt Hiller attended the University of Wisconsin-Stout School of Art and Design before moving to Talkeetna, Alaska, where he is building his off-the-grid home and studio. For more of his work, including process videos, you can find him on Facebook and Instagram (@hiller.matt) as well as his website loftedacrestudios.square.site.
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Published May 4, 2026
Surface Decorating
For this demonstration, I have chosen my “All Over” flower decoration. I begin by dividing the pot equally around the circumference using my circle divider tool (from: loftedacrestudios.square.site), a straight edge, and a needle tool (1). Once divided equally, I set my spring divider to the width between the vertical lines and begin drawing semicircles in a horizontal row across the top of the pot. The spacing for the next row is determined by positioning one point of the spring divider between the four and five o’clock positions of a circle from the row above, and the other point of the divider on the vertical line that divides the circles from the above row (1). Once this point is determined, use a needle tool to draw a horizontal line on the pot as it spins on a banding wheel, and proceed to make circles at the intersection of this horizontal line and every other vertical line.
Caution: Be sure to check and adjust your spring divider width at the start of each new row to account for expanding or narrowing curves, as the size of the flowers needs to expand or contract proportionally.
You will repeat these steps all the way down to the bottom as well as on the cone and lid. For this particular design, I draw a second circle inside each circle that is half the diameter of the original. Now that the layout and outlines of the flowers are determined, begin “plowing” individual petals into the clay using the back end of a paintbrush. I refer to this method of mark making as “plowing” because when done properly the soft clay piles up on the surface of the pot just like how snow piles up in front of a plow truck. The motion starts with the tool tip in the middle of the “flower” and is pressed into the clay as you move the tool outward from the center (3). For best results and to avoid hand injuries, this process should be done at a very soft leather hard.
Matt Hiller attended the University of Wisconsin-Stout School of Art and Design before moving to Talkeetna, Alaska, where he is building his off-the-grid home and studio. For more of his work, including process videos, you can find him on Facebook and Instagram (@hiller.matt) as well as his website loftedacrestudios.square.site.
Unfamiliar with any terms in this article? Browse our glossary of pottery terms!
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