This week, I’ve been working on some pieces for friends and family, but wanted to use them as an exercise to elevate some of the more basic components in my forms. I was really fond of the form I came up with for my pour overs a few weeks ago, with angular walls instead of a rounder belly, and I am really inspired by the work of contemporary potters like Todd Pletcher and Eric Van Eimeren, and in making a handful of mugs, this is what I came up with:

In trimming feet into these mugs, I also chose to sharpen the angles between each plane on the surface. I started with a loop tool, and smoothed the surface with a rib, but in doing so, I (accidentally) left some chatter, or vertical notches, in the exterior walls, which I thought were a nice addition. I also attached some handles, but chose to leave a little step where the top of the handle meets the wall of the mug. I think the angular form in addition to the small alterations I made makes for a more professional looking final product. Sometimes it is the little things, right? Let me know what you guys think!