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Handbuilt Tableware: Making Distinctive Plates, Bowls, Mugs, Teapots and More
“The emphasis is on creativity and distinctiveness. This book is full of ideas.”— Library Journal. “Information-packed. It is extremely practical and clear in its presentation. The technical guidance is easy to follow [and] a gallery section is beautifully produced. An encouraging and motivating book.”— Ceramic Review. “Sure to ignite inspiration.”— International Ceramic Art Review.
- GenresArt
144 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2001
29 people want to read
About the author
Kathy Triplett
4 books4 followersA native of Orangeburg, SC, Kathy Triplett attended the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico and received her B. A. from Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA. Additionally, she honed her artistic skills in courses at La Meridiana, Italy; Arrowmont School, Tennessee; Castle Clay, Colorado; and the architecture department at Georgia Tech.
While in Mexico, Triplett developed an interest in the geometric elements of that region’s Olmec and Aztec architecture, which led to an interest in Art Deco architecture and design. Travels to Barcelona, Spain and an interest in the work of Gaudi contributed to a tendency towards more organic forms in her work. A recent trip to Mali, in West Africa, brought the influences of the colors of mudcloth and the shapes of the mud mosques and houses, to her work. A study of terra-sigillata in Italy encouraged more natural and warmer surfaces to the wall tiles she creates now.
But what explains the sea creature and insect-like forms in the work? Time spent every year exploring the shores of Edisto Island, SC, where horseshoe crabs and sharks’ teeth are found in abundance, contributes to the shapes and to the small detailed natural object additions on the teapots and the wall pieces.
Windows and openings from one layer into another are abiding elements in the work, metaphors for the layers of the self, or for the process of uncovering another world that lies beyond this one. An interest in texture and contrast leads Triplett to lengthy glaze testing in order to find new and intriguing surfaces.
Though she began her career as a wheelthrower, now handbuilding with slabs and coils is the method used to manipulate the clay. She is the author of Handbuilt Ceramics and Handbuilt Tableware and has exhibited at SOFA New York and Chicago, New Art Forms, Chicago; First International Tokyo Crafts Expo, Tokyo, Japan; The Tea Party, American Craft Museum, New York, NY; Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, AR, and is included in collections from Bolivia to Japan. She is a member of Piedmont Craftsmen, Inc., and the Southern Highland Guild and currently serves on the board of Handmade in America, Asheville, NC.
She lives in Weaverville, NC, with her husband and two dogs, in a solar house filled with handmade tiles and ceramic wall sconces, and works in a handbuilt studio nearby.
While in Mexico, Triplett developed an interest in the geometric elements of that region’s Olmec and Aztec architecture, which led to an interest in Art Deco architecture and design. Travels to Barcelona, Spain and an interest in the work of Gaudi contributed to a tendency towards more organic forms in her work. A recent trip to Mali, in West Africa, brought the influences of the colors of mudcloth and the shapes of the mud mosques and houses, to her work. A study of terra-sigillata in Italy encouraged more natural and warmer surfaces to the wall tiles she creates now.
But what explains the sea creature and insect-like forms in the work? Time spent every year exploring the shores of Edisto Island, SC, where horseshoe crabs and sharks’ teeth are found in abundance, contributes to the shapes and to the small detailed natural object additions on the teapots and the wall pieces.
Windows and openings from one layer into another are abiding elements in the work, metaphors for the layers of the self, or for the process of uncovering another world that lies beyond this one. An interest in texture and contrast leads Triplett to lengthy glaze testing in order to find new and intriguing surfaces.
Though she began her career as a wheelthrower, now handbuilding with slabs and coils is the method used to manipulate the clay. She is the author of Handbuilt Ceramics and Handbuilt Tableware and has exhibited at SOFA New York and Chicago, New Art Forms, Chicago; First International Tokyo Crafts Expo, Tokyo, Japan; The Tea Party, American Craft Museum, New York, NY; Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, AR, and is included in collections from Bolivia to Japan. She is a member of Piedmont Craftsmen, Inc., and the Southern Highland Guild and currently serves on the board of Handmade in America, Asheville, NC.
She lives in Weaverville, NC, with her husband and two dogs, in a solar house filled with handmade tiles and ceramic wall sconces, and works in a handbuilt studio nearby.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 8, 2010
The nice thing about hand built pottery is that you don't have to master the wheel in order to create a decent-looking piece. The works photographed in this book, as well as the projects, encourage newcomers to the craft to continue practicing and not give up.
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