Beige stoneware pitcher with pink pattern - 1 L, handmade in Ardèche

A one-liter stoneware pitcher, hand-thrown and decorated in a studio in Ardèche.

In brief
Beige glazed stoneware pitcher with a pink pattern and a one-liter capacity. Hand-thrown and decorated in Ardèche, then fired at a high temperature. It is waterproof and dishwasher-safe. Each piece has slight variations in shape and decoration.

Description

This pitcher begins its life on Laure Fonteneau’s wheel in Vernoux-en-Vivarais. Once the shape has been raised, the piece is refined by hand to give it a more defined profile, then decorated with its pink pattern while the stoneware is still slightly soft. This is when the design is imprinted into the clay.

Next comes the first firing, the bisque firing, which hardens the piece. The pitcher is then glazed and fired a second time at a high temperature. During this firing, the stoneware clay vitrifies throughout: the pitcher becomes waterproof and dishwasher-safe.

With a one-liter capacity, it serves water, wine, or lemonade for a table of four. When empty, it can hold a bouquet of fresh or dried flowers.

Laure handles each pitcher at every stage: its shape, glaze color, and pattern vary from one piece to another. The one you receive will be similar to the photo, but not identical.

Specifications

Care
The pitcher is dishwasher-safe. Avoid thermal shock: don’t pour boiling water into a cold pitcher, or move it directly from the refrigerator to a heat source.

About Laure Fonteneau:

A few years ago, I trained on the potter’s wheel with Elodie Culis in Drôme. We worked on all kinds of shapes and kept very few pieces over several months. Our task was to practice and gradually master the potter’s movements: centering the clay, raising it into even walls...

After these intense moments, I settled in Vernoux-en-Vivarais in Ardèche and began producing my work. I continue to train while working, which is an excellent way to learn. The field of possibilities in ceramics is so vast, and the ways of working are endless... I focus my work on using simple materials and rather understated, practical forms. I draw inspiration from observing nature and from various impressions of forests, mountains, and the sea...

I currently work in a shared studio in Vernoux, where several of us are potters. It’s also a place for training, sharing, and connection.

Come discover our website: https://www.lepotao.fr/

Find my creations on Instagram: @laurefonteneau