In the Potter's Kitchen: Slab-Built Tomato Bowl Amy Brummond

Appears in the Jul/Aug 2024 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated.

Berry bowls—they’re not just for berries anymore! My berry bowl sits on the kitchen counter year round, usefully cradling such things as cherry tomatoes, shallots, and garlic. Since it is a perforated form, it is perfect for things that put off gases, should not be refrigerated, and need air circulation to postpone/avoid spoilage. In developing a slab-built, berry-bowl design, consider how large of a form you want to end up with. I personally like mine to hold approximately a pint of cherry tomatoes. Additionally, you will want to consider how large the holes should be—considering the size of the smallest berry (generally this would be a blueberry). I use three different-sized hole cutters for my berry-bowl design—mostly this is an aesthetic choice—as you can definitely have a useful berry bowl with just one size hole throughout. Finishing the design with handles and a foot is an important consideration. Let’s get started!

Slab Building the Components 

To make a pint-sized tomato bowl, start with a slab rolled to ¼ inch (0.6 cm) thickness, that has firmed up slightly. Cut a strip of clay that is 16 inches (40.6 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) wide. I use this part of the bowl to add my signature design to the piece, which you can do now to give the piece your own style. (Tip: Read my article on texturing slabs in the September/ October 2021 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated.) 

Join the seam of the long strip by scoring and overlapping the two beveled edges with Magic Water (to make, mix 1 gallon water, 3 tablespoons liquid sodium silicate, and 1½ teaspoons soda ash) or slip to hold them together (1). Give a slight bevel to the top of the strip that will become the lip of the berry bowl. 

I smooth the interior seam while leaving the exterior seam visible to show the making process. To highlight the exterior seam even more, consider adding little buttons to the join (2, 3). 

Now, on to the bowl part of the form. Cut a 6-inch-diameter (15.2-cm), round slab of clay using a cookie cutter or template. Using a hump mold, place the round slab onto the mold, gently pressing the clay into a bowl shape (4). Let the piece firm up a bit so that it is no longer floppy, level the rim using a rasp (5), then clean up the edge with a finishing sponge. This is an important step, as the joint between the top and bowl of the finished form will be exposed. Taking the time at this stage to clean up the bowl will save time and frustration when the two pieces are joined together. 

Adding the Foot Ring and Perforations 

Place the bowl form back on the hump mold. Roll small coils to make a foot ring. Use a cookie cutter to eyeball and lightly mark the placement of the foot onto the bowl (6). Score and slip (or use Magic Water) both the bowl and the coils before adding them to the form. Use a wooden paddle or stiff rib to join the two components together (7). Clean and refine the join using a silicone rib and a finishing sponge. To give the foot a little pizzazz, take a carving tool, such as a Mudtools drag tool, to carve a simple design onto the foot ring (8). The glaze will settle into the carved area of the foot and add interest to your finished piece. 

Now on to the fun part, adding holes to the bowl. I like to use hole cutters for this task, but you can certainly use a drill bit. However, I have found the drill bit to require more time in the clean-up stage. I use a variety of hole-cutter sizes—from ¼–½ inch (0.6–1.3 cm) (9). Starting with the inside of the foot ring, evenly space the holes around the interior (10). While you can use a decorating disk for exact measurements, I just eyeball the spacing as I go. 

Joining the Pieces and Adding More Holes 

Before adding more holes to the bowl, join the top of the form to the bowl. The reason for this is twofold. First, it’s easier to add the holes inside the foot ring while the bowl is still on the mold. Secondly, as you add more perforations, the strength of the clay is compromised—which makes it more challenging to join the top and bottom of the form. To join the top and bottom together, score and slip the bowl edge and the top edge, then set the bowl on top (11). Now turn the form over gently, and use one hand on the interior and one hand on the exterior to secure the join (12). Use a finishing tool or sponge to smooth the seam between the two pieces. Turn the form back over, and gently tap with a firm rib or wooden paddle. 

Now it’s time to continue with the piercing. Evenly space holes as you work around the form. I like to use two different sizes of hole punch, alternating between the two until I get to where the bowl part of the form meets the walls of the form. Once all the holes have been pierced, use the skinny end of a paintbrush to make sure all pieces of clay have been punched out (13). Then, clean up the holes with a sponge or silicone finishing tool. 

Adding Handles 

You can add any type of handle you like—pulled, extruded, handbuilt, etc. Just be sure to evenly space them across from each other on the form (14). Consider the size and usability of the handles. 

Glazing Considerations 

Once the berry bowl has been bisque fired, it’s time to glaze. You can use either brush-on or dipping glazes. The most important thing when glazing a perforated form is to make sure the holes don’t get filled with glaze—making the vessel unusable. To clean out any excess glaze from the holes, use a hole-cleaning tool or a drill bit (15). Avoid runny glazes, and multiple layers of glazes that could clog the holes. The piece is now ready to fire, then be put to good use in your kitchen. 

Amy Brummond is the clay enthusiast behind Pine Zen Pottery. She lives outside of the Twin Cities in Minnesota, on a plot of land that used to be a pine-tree farm. In her non-clay life, she enjoys cooking, baking, reading, playing outside, and traveling with her husband and two teenage boys. Find her on social media @pinezenpottery, or www.pinezenpottery.com.