My old man Sam is a potter. He took his first ceramics class for fun when he was in graduate school and has been playing with clay off and on since then. Sometimes he lets me decorate his pots. More often he finishes them himself.
Recently he brought home these cups made at a local studio. I laughed when I first discovered them on the kitchen table. They look like they should be on Fred Flintstone's workbench.
They are bumpy and fun to hold. Though I have never tasted mead, I sense that it would be the perfect beverage for a cup like this. The colors are pleasing and I enjoy looking at them and feeling them in my hands. It's more exciting than holding smooth cups.
The tumblers are about three and a half to four inches tall and just under three inches wide. They hold about five ounces. The inside glaze is a white shell that was poured in. The outside glazes are shino, turquoise, and celadon. They were separately applied by dipping, brushing, and pouring. Wax resist protected some areas from over-coating. The clay body is rough textured and contains crushed grog and feldspar. The pots were gas fired to cone ten in reduction.
recommend
Facebook
Twitter
bookmark 
print
Comments: 24
Jan, I wish you'd add scale to your photographs and include something like a quarter to give perspective to the size.
Love your tumblers!!!
Jan - i have tasted mead. it would go ok in these but i think i would prefer an amber ale. ...altho i'd have to pour it a couple of times if it wasnt on tap *grin* - drinking from these - ok, holding them in hand, would be a treat - as i mentioned in the published image comments the sense of human touch in this kind of thing is something i like a lot, particularly with clay. texture is also high on my values in this work. heavey solid pieces appeal to me a lot - altho i like having the ability to do light and delicate as knowledge. i have some things i did 20+ years ago that i still eat and drink from. they'd go great on Fred's workbench. i like it that way.
E. B. has a good point about sense of size. a quarter or a pencil purposely placed will go a long way to defining scale in these photos - even a one foot school ruler works - i have to think to do that too - particularly with clay pieces . these would be magic to hold i have no doubt.
pot on, Sam - and not just off and on either, please! gees makes me want to go out and search for access to a kiln again. - aloha - Wrick
mmmm heaven on a chilly fall day!
These are quite lovely and so colorful! Five ounces sounds about right for something like Barley Wine or Mead, even a Hot Toddy or Tom and Jerry now that the weather is cooling.
As a ceramic artist m'self, I say THESE ARE AWESOME!!!
Yes, they look perfect for mead. You could make some! I have two friends who are potters. One nearby and she invites me to play in clay sometimes. Such fun! See my dragon image? I envy you having all the clay makings so close to hand.
I LOVE THESE!!!! I think you need to market these cups!! Where do I go to order?