Based on the techniques used in 19th Century money banks, this inspired work was made by students in the January 2023 Pottery Course.
English slipware money banks were generally decorated with chickens or other birds. Often a child’s name and birthdate were inscribed with sgraffito.
Personal creativity took students from money banks to vases to what-nots to why-nots!
Using earthenware terracotta clay, the forms were made by joining pinch pot elements. The brief was to decorate them with swags, sprigs or other sculptural elements. When leather hard, the pieces were covered with white slip and then further decorated with sgraffito. After the bisque firing, they were glazed with a honey glaze which softened the colour of the white slip and deepened the red of the terracotta.