Ceramic Arts Daily – Video of the Week: How to Make a Freeform Handbuilt Serving Tray with a Faux Foot

click to enlarge Gail Kendall has a fantastic ability to manipulate clay that seems too soft to form with. Time and time again during the filming of her new video From Plate to Tureen: Slab and Coil Building, I thought to myself “there’s no way that is going to work!” But time and time again, Gail pulled off what I thought was impossible! In today’s video, Gail demonstrates the unconventional method she uses to make trays and platters with what she calls faux feet using soft slabs. I love the low-tech simplicity of this method – all you need are a slab, a coil, and your hands (plus lots of practice to make it work with such soft clay!). – Jennifer Harnetty, editor.

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This clip was excerpted from From Plate to Tureen: Slab and Coil Building, which is available in the Ceramic Arts Daily Bookstore!

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Teri Holland February 1, 2013 at 6:19 am -

Excellent clear explanation……I’m a beginner and will definitely try this technique,thank you
Cassidy Seidler January 31, 2013 at 1:05 pm -

This is fantastic! I’ve been wondering about a nice, simple technique for making slab plates. Thank you!
Jacquelyn Indelicato November 7, 2012 at 6:22 pm -

I have purchased the DVD and it was very informative. I do appreciate the tips/tricks etc that Gail gives. Wonderful. I do have a couple of questions for Gail. 1. Her white slip recipe adds up to 105. Most/all are 100. why the difference? or is it a mistake and one of the ingredients need to be changed? 2. Her Terra cotta clay is it high or low fire clay 3. What is the glaze temps? Also.. I got a little confused, Can you ask Gail to clarify the firing method. Her dvd states that she bisque fires after she puts on the slip. I am not sure about the other glazes and if they are also put on after the white slip was put on or does she use the white slip, bisque fire and then clear glaze and fire again? and at what temps? Thank you so much!
Dorothy Winchell November 6, 2012 at 10:08 am -

I believe towards the beginning of the video she states that she uses terra sig on the bottoms of her pieces. Hope this helps.
Sherry Duck November 5, 2012 at 9:17 pm -

i enjoyed this so much I order the downloaded the video and I really like it!!! Was very helpful and glad you took your time!! I would like the hand out you are mailing with the CDs would you please email me that,Thanks so I need to know what you are useing to get the red clay white, Thanks so sad621@live.com
Carole Steele November 4, 2012 at 8:32 am -

I attended one of Gail’s workshops she gave at Penland or Arrowmont (can’t remember which) years ago and revisiting with her here brought back all those happy memories! All of my major work is in terra cotta as a result. I love Gail’s work and she has added much information to my work. I’m glad she produced this video so I can attend her workshop again! Thanks, Gail
Jan Wallace October 30, 2012 at 1:28 pm -

Great Video. Thank you very much for sharing this idea. I made a couple of oval platters yesterday using this method after being inspired by the video and happy with the technique and results. It beats and eliminates using a hump mold as you can use this method and make just about any shape you desire. One question though for Gail if I may please…Do you leave the underside of your pieces unglazed or do you fired on a stilts? As this method brings the base of the plate in line with the base of the foot (touching table), there is no room to glaze just leaving the foot unglazed? Hope this makes sense? I fire to Cone 6 and earthenware temps. Thanks in advance.
Annette Kristiansen October 29, 2012 at 7:50 pm -

I love it! Thanks for sharing!
pauline purdum October 27, 2012 at 9:07 am -

I just bought the downloaded version of her lessons and I am very impressed. I have long admired her work, and the video is excellent with lots of very useful tips, etc. I am savoring every moment of the video. —On another note, I am grateful that such things are available for downloading. I am a big fan of downloading—, magazines, books, etc. for the very reason that I tend to “hoard” books and magazines, etc, and have a hard time getting rid of them. My solution is to stop the piling up of such “stuff” at the front end, so now, only digital! When they finally get to a show on digital “hoarding”, I will have to be on it. As long as they keep making bigger and bigger external hard drives, no one (except me) has to know about my nasty habit.
Barbara Curtis October 27, 2012 at 3:38 am -

Loved your video I will have to have a go at making something like the platter great demonstration
Penny Burke October 26, 2012 at 12:43 pm -

This is so awesome, I cant wait to get home to my studio!!!!
dorothyp@whidbey.com October 26, 2012 at 10:47 am -

That was a beautifully produced video. I makes me want to go try out her well, explained and demonstrated method.

Video of the Week: How to Make a Freeform Handbuilt Serving Tray with a Faux Foot

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