I often poke at the interplay of form and function in my handbuilt pots. While adhering to the bounds set by defining components of pots, I feel the freedom to create work that makes their functionality plausible, but more secondary in consideration. Such is the case with my carved plate series. They have feet, lips, interior and exterior space, and so on. I think of them, and indeed, call them plates. They function as such. However, what drives me to explore this series is the potential for them to be more about form and surface than their function. These are not necessarily for use in your everyday rituals—though they could be. I heavily carve them in a reductive process creating high-relief surfaces and textures that reveal characteristics of material and process. My work is made with stoneware clays wood fired to cone 10 and above, and is often fired unglazed or simply with slips.
Design Thoughts
Many of my thoughts in approaching a series of handbuilt forms are the same as those I make on the wheel. For instance, I like to create multiples of the same form at the same time. I set various parameters for each form and work in a somewhat repetitive way. For this series of plates, I use a heavily grogged stoneware clay. I create roofing-paper templates of freely drawn shapes and start with the same thickness of slabs for each plate. I use thick slabs to have plenty of depth for carving high-relief patterns. I roll the same thickness of coils used for the foot as well. I enjoy having these parameters and then revel in seeing the subtle differences that are inevitable when creating handmade objects. These plates are rather hefty in the hand, but more importantly to me, they have a robust and generous appearance and possess visible heft.
Construction
As I said, I like to work in series, but have learned to consider the slow pace of production with these. I roll enough for three plates at a time. I set my slab roller to a thickness near 7/8 inch (2.2 cm). Once slabs are rolled and compressed with a rib on both sides, cut them using one of the templates created for this series. For this plate, I am using what I call a “cog” shape (1). The slab is then draped on a very simple bisque mold that is used as either a gentle convex or concave shallow form. I place the slab so that the top surface of the plate is in contact with the convex side of the mold (2). The piece needs to sit like this for a few hours at least. Bisque molds, in my experience, tend to dry clay faster than one might expect, so closely monitoring its dryness is key.
My goal is to get the cut slab off of the mold as soon as the clay allows. This is for two main reasons: First is to set and compress the added foot ring while the clay is still quite wet. This ensures a nice even and level foot because the clay can be pressed down on a surface to ensure even connection all around. The second reason is so that I have more control drying the piece. Getting it off the mold quickly allows me to monitor and equalize the moisture level in the piece as a whole.
As soon as the slab seems to be offering enough resistance to a firm poke or ribbing, add a coil for a circular foot. I roll coils by hand to about the thickness of my thumb, long enough to connect a circle in one piece to form the foot. Both the plate and the coil are coarsely scored and then slipped. For slip, I use pure distilled white vinegar and some of the working clay body to create a slurry that is brushed on connection points.
The coil is then compressed and pinched into the bottom side of the slab and blended using serrated ribs (3). Once a firm connection is achieved, pinch up to slightly thin the coil and make the top level. Then, use a serrated rib again to compress the top of the coil down into the rest of the foot. A rib is used to compress and refine the connection (4). It can then be leveled, by eye, by cutting off excess using a fettling knife (5). Then it can be flipped onto its foot and compressed from the interior of the plate to squish the foot flat (6). It has to dry quite a bit before carving can begin. I use bed sheets and plastic to cover it and monitor the moisture often. Carving can begin at a softer leather-hard stage.
Carving
Carving is done incrementally and takes the most care and time. I start by simply drawing the overall course of the lines radiating from the center point using the tip of my fettling knife (7). I then use the knife to plunge a cut at a consistent, rather deep depth straight down at each drawn line around the plate. The knife is then used to remove the initial wedge of clay at an angle to the vertical cut (8). I then switch to using various loop tools to scoop out each petal or section of carved space (9). Sharper, more extreme points are used to refine the tighter spaces toward the center of the design (10). The goal is to remove little by little until lines are tight, clean, and deliberate looking. This usually takes a few sessions over the course of a couple of days. As the clay dries more, the cuts are more consequential, but offer a resistance that allows for more refinement and sharpness. At this point, the tip of a blade is used more to scrape off little bits to achieve a deliberate, crisp line than to remove or gouge out a volume of material (11).
Finishing Up
Once carving is complete, I work to further refine both the lip and the foot. Use a piece of foam on top of the bisque mold on which to flip the piece back over. I refine the underside of the lip using a rib and knife. I am also able to trim the foot of any excess clay and clean up any inconsistencies that occurred when the clay was too wet prior to its initial flipping (12).
While upside down, you can also drill mounting holes for the piece to be hung once fired, if desired (13). The plate is then signed and flipped back over (14) to dry very slowly under cotton bed sheets. It will be bisque fired and then fired to stoneware temperatures in a wood-fueled kiln, typically either bare or with an applied slip.
Will Dickert is a potter currently living in Asheville, North Carolina. He creates wood-fired, stoneware pottery among a vibrant and inspiring craft community. He has had the opportunity to teach classes, lead and assist workshops, fire kilns, and exhibit his work nationally and internationally. Learn more at willdickertceramics.comor on Instagram @willdickertceramics.
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I often poke at the interplay of form and function in my handbuilt pots. While adhering to the bounds set by defining components of pots, I feel the freedom to create work that makes their functionality plausible, but more secondary in consideration. Such is the case with my carved plate series. They have feet, lips, interior and exterior space, and so on. I think of them, and indeed, call them plates. They function as such. However, what drives me to explore this series is the potential for them to be more about form and surface than their function. These are not necessarily for use in your everyday rituals—though they could be. I heavily carve them in a reductive process creating high-relief surfaces and textures that reveal characteristics of material and process. My work is made with stoneware clays wood fired to cone 10 and above, and is often fired unglazed or simply with slips.
Design Thoughts
Many of my thoughts in approaching a series of handbuilt forms are the same as those I make on the wheel. For instance, I like to create multiples of the same form at the same time. I set various parameters for each form and work in a somewhat repetitive way. For this series of plates, I use a heavily grogged stoneware clay. I create roofing-paper templates of freely drawn shapes and start with the same thickness of slabs for each plate. I use thick slabs to have plenty of depth for carving high-relief patterns. I roll the same thickness of coils used for the foot as well. I enjoy having these parameters and then revel in seeing the subtle differences that are inevitable when creating handmade objects. These plates are rather hefty in the hand, but more importantly to me, they have a robust and generous appearance and possess visible heft.
Construction
As I said, I like to work in series, but have learned to consider the slow pace of production with these. I roll enough for three plates at a time. I set my slab roller to a thickness near 7/8 inch (2.2 cm). Once slabs are rolled and compressed with a rib on both sides, cut them using one of the templates created for this series. For this plate, I am using what I call a “cog” shape (1). The slab is then draped on a very simple bisque mold that is used as either a gentle convex or concave shallow form. I place the slab so that the top surface of the plate is in contact with the convex side of the mold (2). The piece needs to sit like this for a few hours at least. Bisque molds, in my experience, tend to dry clay faster than one might expect, so closely monitoring its dryness is key.
My goal is to get the cut slab off of the mold as soon as the clay allows. This is for two main reasons: First is to set and compress the added foot ring while the clay is still quite wet. This ensures a nice even and level foot because the clay can be pressed down on a surface to ensure even connection all around. The second reason is so that I have more control drying the piece. Getting it off the mold quickly allows me to monitor and equalize the moisture level in the piece as a whole.
As soon as the slab seems to be offering enough resistance to a firm poke or ribbing, add a coil for a circular foot. I roll coils by hand to about the thickness of my thumb, long enough to connect a circle in one piece to form the foot. Both the plate and the coil are coarsely scored and then slipped. For slip, I use pure distilled white vinegar and some of the working clay body to create a slurry that is brushed on connection points.
The coil is then compressed and pinched into the bottom side of the slab and blended using serrated ribs (3). Once a firm connection is achieved, pinch up to slightly thin the coil and make the top level. Then, use a serrated rib again to compress the top of the coil down into the rest of the foot. A rib is used to compress and refine the connection (4). It can then be leveled, by eye, by cutting off excess using a fettling knife (5). Then it can be flipped onto its foot and compressed from the interior of the plate to squish the foot flat (6). It has to dry quite a bit before carving can begin. I use bed sheets and plastic to cover it and monitor the moisture often. Carving can begin at a softer leather-hard stage.
Carving
Carving is done incrementally and takes the most care and time. I start by simply drawing the overall course of the lines radiating from the center point using the tip of my fettling knife (7). I then use the knife to plunge a cut at a consistent, rather deep depth straight down at each drawn line around the plate. The knife is then used to remove the initial wedge of clay at an angle to the vertical cut (8). I then switch to using various loop tools to scoop out each petal or section of carved space (9). Sharper, more extreme points are used to refine the tighter spaces toward the center of the design (10). The goal is to remove little by little until lines are tight, clean, and deliberate looking. This usually takes a few sessions over the course of a couple of days. As the clay dries more, the cuts are more consequential, but offer a resistance that allows for more refinement and sharpness. At this point, the tip of a blade is used more to scrape off little bits to achieve a deliberate, crisp line than to remove or gouge out a volume of material (11).
Finishing Up
Once carving is complete, I work to further refine both the lip and the foot. Use a piece of foam on top of the bisque mold on which to flip the piece back over. I refine the underside of the lip using a rib and knife. I am also able to trim the foot of any excess clay and clean up any inconsistencies that occurred when the clay was too wet prior to its initial flipping (12).
While upside down, you can also drill mounting holes for the piece to be hung once fired, if desired (13). The plate is then signed and flipped back over (14) to dry very slowly under cotton bed sheets. It will be bisque fired and then fired to stoneware temperatures in a wood-fueled kiln, typically either bare or with an applied slip.
Will Dickert is a potter currently living in Asheville, North Carolina. He creates wood-fired, stoneware pottery among a vibrant and inspiring craft community. He has had the opportunity to teach classes, lead and assist workshops, fire kilns, and exhibit his work nationally and internationally. Learn more at willdickertceramics.com or on Instagram @willdickertceramics.
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