Now that another batch of teeny plates have been delivered to Jonathon’s Gallery I can show photos of them here. The theme for a dozen of them was Easter. I was invited to come up with some Spring-like colours and designs, using the idea of lighter colours, flowers, bunnies, chicks and eggs. Oh lord! anyway I did it and actually enjoyed myself. As always I found that some colour combinations were a pleasant surprise so I’ll be studying these photos again.

I’ve grouped the plates into sets of four just to save space in this blog. Happy Easter all! I kept one that wound up slightly bigger that the others for me, for a while. I eased my conscience about painting cute bunnies by remembering that Bernard Leach depicted a leaping rabbit too!

When Brian Cooke saw the earlier Valentine’s plates in red, black and white he suggested I make a set of four depicting playing card suits. So here they are. Another set is already awaiting pick-up.

I was also asked to make 3 plates which use the Trans colours.. blue, pink and white. Two more depict daffodils.

Apart from plates my recent earthenware firing included a special order garlic pot. Christie asked very particularly for a garlic pot big enough to hold at least three garlic buds, have my signature grooves and one of the reverse knob lids. To make it functional as a garlic keeper I left the piece totally unglazed and added some air holes in the sides. The outside is coated in luscious terra sigillata. This piece may well be one of a kind!

There were two more of my grooved egg boxes to add to the Easter theme. They work well in earthenware. One is glazed inside and just has terra sig outside and the other was carved through green slip so I coated it with clear glaze. I believe London knitters will use them for wool.

Finally there were some more jugbirds, an Eastern Blue Jay, Pileated Woodpeckers, a non-specific Teal jugbird and a perky Little Brown Jugbird.

Oh, and some yunomi, just because they’re fun to make.

Now I’m finishing up another two cubic feet-worth of pieces made with grey stoneware for the TriCity Potters’ group firing in April, wearing my new potter’s apron. Let’s hope that the latest restrictions ordered by our public health officer don’t affect what is essentially an outdoor workshop. Fingers crossed.