Plant Imprint Farm Modern Mug Handmade Plant Mug Minimalistic Imprint Ceramics

Very rare, and unique mug for the folks out there that love nature and handmade ceramic mugs. All clay used in the production of my pieces is reclaimed, meaning it has been recycled within the studio therefore eliminating excess waste and giving the clay a second chance to become what you now see it as! After the piece was wheel thrown and dried to a leather hard consistency, the next step was to then trim the bottom. During the trimming stage I ensured the base was perfectly rounded to reduce the risk of chips, allowing for a long and durable life. I also added the handle at this point, including a nice thumb hold at the top joint to allow for a comfortable and ergonomic hand hold that counter balances the weight of the liquid placed inside. While the piece was still in the greenware stage (before the first firing while the clay is still raw) I rolled out a slab, put the slab onto some newspaper to then smooth it out and remove the pressing cloth texture, and then coated an area of it with corn starch. The corn starch is helpful when pressing anything into clay to allow the object to be released without it getting embedded/stuck in the clay, and it also burns off in the kiln. Next, I got out a few sprigs of some local flowers that bloom here on Whidbey Island, WA every summer. I placed these sprigs onto the corn starch coated clay and rolled over them with a wooden rolling pin. Once the texture was imprinted I picked out the stems and the tiny petals (quite tedious haha). Then, I cut around the imprinted design, score and slipped the back, and attached it to the outside wall of the mug. I then smoothed out the crease between the slab and the side wall with a stylus then a smoothing tool. After the first firing, the mug was glazed. On the inside and the rim is a smooth and glassy glaze that contrasts nicely with the raw outer sidewalls. After glazing the inside and rim, I got a sponge and dipped it in black underglaze, which is colored slip, and brushed it along the outer wall making sure not to fill in the coffee bean indents to really make the outline pop. The coloring of black and white also accentuates this contrast, adding a modern look that will go well with any home’s decor. Once the mug went through its second and final firing, it was officially a finished product! This fella is fully vitrified meaning it is microwave and dishwasher safe but I would highly recommend hand washing. Message me with any questions you might have!