Erik's Sgraffito Pottery

Erik Farrell's Sgraffito plate. (All photos by Mary Farrell from the Westmoore Pottery website.)

This past weekend we were visiting Dave and Mary of Westmoore Pottery down in Seagrove, and I was delighted to see the Sgraffito pottery that grandson Erik had decorated during his summer there.  (Erik is now in England studying for his Master's at the University of Durham).

Sgraffito (in Italian "to scratch") is a decorating pottery technique produced by applying glazes or slips to leather hard pottery and then scratching off parts to create contrasting images, patterns and texture and reveal the clay color underneath.

In Erik's decorations, green slip was applied and designs were "scratched off" revealing the redware underneath. After the initial firing, a clear glaze was applied to the interior only before the final firing.

I don't have a video of Erik decorating the pottery, but this video will give you an idea of how it's done.

Here are some of Erik's Sgraffito pottery.

Erik's Sgraffito Plate 566

Erik's Sgraffito Plate 509.

Erik's Sgraffito Plate 570

Erik's Sgraffito Plate 568.

I think Erik has done a terrific job with these plates.  They are lovely!!!!!

Grandson Erik and Indiegogo

Erik Farrell's one of a kind sgraffito plate.

Grandson Erik Farrell is attending Durham University in England working towards a Master’s degree in Conservation of Archaeological and Museum Objects.  In seeking assistance with expenses for his studies Erik signed up at Indigogo.

 Indiegogo is an international crowd funding site founded by Danae Ringelmann, Slava Rubin, and Eric Schell in 2008. Its headquarters are in San Francisco, California. As of 2012, it has hosted over 100,000 funding campaigns in areas such as music, charity, small business and film.

Erik is a talented potter and to raise money to help with his graduate studies he has made limited editions of pottery.

For $50.00 one can have a coffee mug made and decorated by Erik. Go to Indiegogo

Erik's limited edition coffee mug.

For $200. one can have a small sgraffito plate, approximately 6.5 inches in diameter, made and decorated by Erik.  Go to Indiegogo

Erik's limited edition small plate.

And for $750. one person can have a large sgraffito plate, approximately 14 inches in diameter, made and decorated by Erik.  Go to Indiegogo

Erik's limited edition large plate. 

To see these lovely limited editions of Erik's pottery, go to Indiegogo.

Or you can even assist Erik by donating $10. and you will receive a personal postcard from him.

As grandparents we are extremely proud of Erik, and I think if you visit this website, Indiegogo, you will see that Erik deserves help in pursuing his graduate degree.   And most of all you could become the proud owner of one of Erik's pieces of pottery.  I suspect these will be collectible one day.