Decorating a pot can feel like a risky business – although superficial it can make or break the appeal of the object. During the last eighteen years of decorating pots, I have tried not to be timid or conservative and have taken risks, resulting in an embarrassing number of “seconds”… and many I’m proud of.
They are all one-off individuals from small batches. I can remember specific occasions and people who bought some of the pots pictured below, and I like to imagine that they are still in one piece, serving frequent cuppas, pouring, being held and sipped from and generally bringing pleasure.
My inclination to explore decorative techniques and ideas has resulted in considerable diversity which I would like to show you. Some are boldly tonal:
But I have also enjoyed using colour, its energy and exuberance feels life affirming:
Some are very quiet:
…and minimal:
(perhaps this last image is stretching the meaning of decoration).
Some have muted colours and an earthy feel:
There is an intensity or vigour to the earliest decoration:
…which became more pared down and graphic:
Thanks for reading / looking. I hope you have enjoyed my decoration!
[…] plenty of news but none relating to our work, other than questioning its future. My last entry, (Diverse Decoration September 2020) reads as a retrospective, looking back at our work over the last twenty years and […]
I have long admired your work. Spare and beautiful. Do you use underglaze colours?
Best Wishes,
Ann Mercer
Thank you so much Ann! Yes, I always decorate on green ware as it allows me to do sgraffito – also to scrape off if I don’t like what I’ve done. I prefer products described as glaze stains as they seem more versatile than underglazes (but probably both would be fine).
With best wishes,
Tilla
Love your work and I am very pleased to see I own some of the pieces in your blog post ????. Your pieces give me a lot of joy and pleasure to use and appreciate. Best wishes, Zahra
Thanks so much, Zahra, that’s great to hear and makes me very happy!
Best wishes,
Tilla