Normally these days I find the word “authentic” to be overused and watered down, but when talking about using hand thrown pottery in the dining room, authentic still says it best. Serving dishes, dinnerware, platters, plates, and drinking vessels take on a new importance when made of pottery crafted by a local artisan.
No piece will be exactly like the next piece, giving your dining table a uniqueness impossible to find anywhere else. Hand thrown pieces have a different feel under the fingers; the texture is rich and inviting. The echoes of the hands of the artisan who created the piece is still palpable in the hands of the recipient, creating that intriguing bond between artisan and user.
Here are some pieces done by my friend Elona Shaffert, local artisan. She makes great pieces and also teaches at her store, Creatable Crafts, here in Rehoboth Beach. I have enjoyed giving pieces by her as gifts, especially knowing that no matter who I was giving them to, that they weren’t going to get these items from anywhere else!
Look at these great ocean colors - perfect for seaside dining
I can see loaves of homemade bread, all thick and texturey and slathered with herbed butter, looking just right served on this dinnerware. The bread would rightly be joined by hearty soul-warming soup and a salad of fresh tossed spring greens with chunky croutons in those graceful bowls. These blues and greens and sand colors are cool, yet rich and full bodied. This series makes me want to redo my personal house in these great ocean hues. You could easily pick a set of pieces like this and use them as inspiration for redecorating your dining room or kitchen. And who would want to store these tucked away on a cupboard somewhere? With handmade pottery, you can store the pieces on open shelves in full view, or hang them on the wall, and enjoy them as artwork when they weren’t being used for their intended purpose. Two for one!
Here’s another piece – this one’s done with horse hair! Crazy! But look how amazing the result is:
The vase would do well as an objet d’art in the living room -but let’s not forget the kitchen! Handmade pottery creates a special feel in the kitchen, too. Hot French Onion soup out of the oven takes on a whole new level of deliciousness when the smooth melted provolone is dripping over the hearty texture of a handmade crock. Yum!
Go find a local artisan and give yourself the tactile and visual pleasure you have been yearning for!
