Rutile Blue Slipped Planter with Drainage
Rutile Blue Slipped Planter with Drainage
Bring bold color and warmth to your favorite plant with this handmade stoneware planter, finished in a rich Blue Rutile and Goldspot glaze combination. The surface features cascading variations of lavender, blue, and beige gliding over the pale stoneware and flowing down the blue slipped belly to the golden tan drainage saucer. With its tall shape and subtle narrowing above the base, this planter provides a graceful silhouette that complements any plant or decor style.
Details
This planter stands 4 3/4" tall and 5 1/2" wide at the lip. It's inner depth is 4 `1/2", with the bottom 1.5" narrowed. The base is about 5 1/4" wide, and the interior of the planter is unglazed. Two drainage holes – each about the size of a marble – are built into the narrowed base to promote healthy drainage. The piece was fired to cone 10 in a reduction atmosphere for strength and durability.
Use
Perfect for medium and small sized houseplants, herbs, or succulents. This piece can be used indoors or outdoors, and its vibrant, layered colors pair beautifully with both green foliage and flowering plants.
Process
I threw this planter on my pottery wheel using Sonoran White clay, a light colored stoneware. After throwing the form, blue slip (a blend of clay, water and cobalt stain) was used to add some texture and blue color contrast to the outer belly of the planter.
After drying the piece was bisque fired, the bottom 1/3rd of the pot was dipped in Goldspot glaze (up to the top of the narrowed base). Then the outside and lip was coated with Rutile glaze, down to just above the drainage plate. I plugged up the drainage holes for glazing, so most of the interior was left unglazed. The reduction firing at cone 10 enhances the glaze’s depth and variation, producing unique hues of lavender and blue that shift in natural light.
