Winter Ratatouille

We had lots of vegetables in the crisper from our organic delivery, so I decided to make a quick vegetable meal, what I'm calling a winter ratatouille. You can whip this up for lunch or dinner in less than half an hour. I served the winter ratatouille in these pinched bowls and spoons which I made when I was living in the RV. The spoon handles aren't long enough, but that's the beauty of being a potter. I can perfect my idea and make more. I think it's fun eating with a hand made spoon out of hand made bowl. I'll bet children would love using a handmade spoon. They could be made in different colors and each one could have their favorite. There I go again with the ideas, I just can't help myself.


3 carrots, sliced thin
1 crookneck squash, sliced, then squared
1 zucchini, sliced, then squared
1 small can chopped tomatoes
2 pats of butter
I didn't measure the spices, maybe a 1/2 tsp each
minced, dried garlic
dried rosemary
dried tarragon
celery seed
dried ground ginger
dried ground turmeric
ground pepper corns
a few shakes from habanero hot pepper sauce to your liking

Melt the butter in a large sauce pan on medium high heat, add the minced garlic and the carrots, saute till you can smell the garlic, but don't burn the butter. Add in the rest of the vegetables, then pour in the tomatoes and start sprinkling in the spices. I add spices by eye now, but you can measure to be safe if you like. Don't forget the hot pepper sauce, a little warmth in the dish is welcome in the winter. Fold the tomatoes into the vegetables, cover and turn down the heat to low, simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring a couple of times.


While the vegetables are cooking, microwave (or have them pre baked) red potatoes, one potato for each serving you plan to make. I made four small ones, so we could have the dish for lunch and dinner. Chop up the potatoes and place one in the bottom of each bowl and add the vegetables over the top and serve piping hot. This is a really tasty and hearty vegetable dish and the pepper sauce gives some added warmth.

Crazy for Clay

cassius basaltic clay pinch bowl, 4 x 9 inches

Quite by accident, one of my glazes formed a unique surface on a very black clay, cassius basaltic. I called the surface moon craters. Ever since then I've been thinking of how I could use the moon craters to advantage. I just couldn't get the unique surface out of my mind and really wanted to attempt to replicate the moon craters.

sketch for cassius basaltic pinch bowl

I planned on making a tall coiled vase based on a couple of drawings in my sketch book, but the piece I ended up making was a wide pinch bowl. Since I'm in a motorhome with limited space I decided to use the pinch bowl. For my sketch above, imagine the background being the black clay and the stripes and dots being white.

moon craters unique glaze surface (interior)

My sketch book is filling up with drawings for the cassius basaltic clay with moon craters and I have plans to make some tiles and groups of tiles. Of course I had to get some white clay for the stripes and will have to use that up too.






Not sure where I will store the greenware while it is drying. We have our three cats in the motorhome, so everything drying must be put some place they can't get to it. I just couldn't stop myself from getting a couple of bags of clay and trying a few of my ideas. I also have a few ware boards, my tool box, and glazes.

Texas white pinch bowl, 3 x 7 inches

Here's another pinch bowl I made today with Texas white clay. I've never tried this clay before. After I made the bowl I thought it would look good with a handle across the top. I want to make the handle look like it's woven from reeds. I have a few more ideas about the handle.

sketch for handle on Texas white pinch bowl

We plan on leaving in about two more weeks, hopefully they'll be dry by then I can at least get them bisqued. Then perhaps I can find a place along the way to get them fired. What do you think, am I crazy for clay or what?

Pinch Me, I'm Dreaming !

Pinch me, I'm dreaming ! As I'm writing this I can feel what it's like to pinch the clay. Of all the techniques I utilize in working with clay, pinching puts me in a dream-like state. I can let my mind wander while pinching the clay and I love it. Not that I can't with other techniques, but with pinching I feel I'm really connecting to the clay. It's the closest my mind comes to touching the clay through my hands. With other methods I may use a cutting tool, perhaps a rolling pin, a sculpting tool, a slab roller, a drape mold, but with pinching my fingers are actually forming the clay and it's a direct connection to my mind's eye. I love how the multiple glazes I used, ran down the pinched sculpture above.


Our college studio seems (is) really crowded this semester. It's always crowded at the beginning of each semester before some students decide to drop class. But this semester it is particularly crowded because half of the classes were dropped. There are two long tables and they are filled with those working on sculptures. Backed up to those tables is the wedging table with only a small space around it. Next are two rows of wheels and on the other side of the classroom is the jewelry section with metal tables. I pinched the two bowls above from Soldate 60 stoneware clay the first day of class and now they're in a cabinet drying.


Previous semesters I got to the classroom early and had several projects going at once. I was able to spread out before anyone got to class. This semester we don't have access to the classroom except during class time, so I've had to change my working habits and adapt to my surroundings. I've chosen to work in the jewelry section of the classroom because I can work at the end of the table without someone bumping my elbows. It's also less noisy in that corner of the classroom. Above is a stoneware pinched paperweight I made and glazed with Tom Coleman's green to black satin matt glaze, Cone 10 reduction.


Notice the pinch pots above are sitting on a metal table? That's the jewelry table. The first day I was pinching a few pots and I noticed metal flakes in the clay. Oops! Now I'm sure to wipe down the table real well and I work on a bat. Since I have about a two foot square section to work in, I thought pinch pots would be the perfect solution to the limited space. My goal is to concentrate on making pinch pots of all types and sizes this semester and see where this takes me. I made a very rough texture on the little red pinch pot below. Anyway, if you happen to visit the classroom studio some evening and I don't glance up or notice you, just Pinch Me, I'm Dreaming !