Jennifer Hill's Hypnotic, 12 in. (30.5 cm) in diameter, wheel-thown and altered porcelain, terra sigillata, underglaze, glaze, fired to cone 6 in an electric kiln, 2024.

The vast empty surface of a plate reads to me as a blank, three-dimensional canvas. My inspiration comes from botanical and sea forms, re-imagined as abstract imagery. The rim acts as an indulgent frame with a double split undulation, alluding to water or wind. I make a Grolleg terra sigillata to apply to bare areas. A little burnishing gives the raw clay a satiny feel. Underglaze washes are applied in an ombre-like gradation and a clear glaze completes the interior surface for food contact. 


1 Throw a plate with high sides and a thick rim. Split the rim with the rounded, pointy end of a wooden rib. 2 Press below the rim from the exterior to create an undulation, resembling a wide spout. Repeat two more times.

3 Trace around a lid or similar form to create several circles, placed in relation to the rim’s waves. 4 Use stamps made from natural texture (bark, bumpy rocks, etc.) to fill in the background around the circles.

5 Fill in blank spaces with alternating textures. Be creative and spontaneous as you develop the surface. 6 The back side of the plate can be decorated as well. Try a design with similar aesthetic elements to the front.

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