Trash talk

[offcntr]

I have a more-or-less standard pitch when describing my pottery to potential customers. "It's all wheel-thrown and individually hand-painted," I say. "No stencils, no decals, no cheating." Or if there's a potter nearby who uses decals, I'll say "no shortcuts."

I just got this cup from an old friend, Grace Sheese, who traded it for a handmade paintbrush. She uses multiple decals that she creates on a laserwriter, layering them with stencils and silkscreened underglaze to make a rich and complex surface. They're pretty amazing.

I think I'd better stop the trash-talking. From now on, I'll just say "No stencils, no decals."