Project description
I'm looking for a potter to hand-throw a one-of-a-kind food or water bowl for my dog or cat, something sturdier and more personal than anything sold in a pet-supply aisle. The piece should start from a dense, high-fired stoneware clay body that can survive daily scrubbing, the occasional drop, and years of a hungry nose pushing it across the floor without chipping or crazing. Weight and stability matter as much as looks: I'd like a wide, heavy foot and a low center of gravity so an enthusiastic eater can't send the bowl skating across the kitchen tile, and ideally a slightly recessed or roughened unglazed ring on the underside that grips a floor or a slow-feeder mat without needing a rubber sleeve.
Food safety is non-negotiable. The interior and exterior glaze needs to be certified lead-free and cadmium-free, fully vitrified so the surface is completely non-porous, and smooth enough that bacteria and food residue rinse away easily rather than lodging in a rough or crazed glaze surface. I'd love a soft, calming color, maybe a matte stone glaze outside with a glossy celadon or oatmeal glaze inside so it's easy to see how clean the bowl is at a glance. The interior walls should curve gently rather than meeting the floor at a hard angle, so the last bits of food or water are easy to reach.
Sizing needs to match my pet specifically rather than a generic small, medium, or large chart, so I'll share breed, weight, muzzle width, and whether this is meant for kibble, wet food, or water. For a flat-faced breed a shallower, wider profile helps; for a deep-chested dog prone to fast eating, a raised or slightly domed center that slows down gulping would be wonderful. I'd like our pet's name hand-carved or stamped into the clay near the rim before glazing, not applied as a sticker or decal that will wear off, so it stays legible and personal for the bowl's whole life. A short note on the timeline for throwing, trimming, bisque firing, glazing, and the final glaze firing would help me plan, along with drying and curing time before the bowl goes into daily use, since I understand stoneware needs real time between each stage to avoid cracking.
Food safety is non-negotiable. The interior and exterior glaze needs to be certified lead-free and cadmium-free, fully vitrified so the surface is completely non-porous, and smooth enough that bacteria and food residue rinse away easily rather than lodging in a rough or crazed glaze surface. I'd love a soft, calming color, maybe a matte stone glaze outside with a glossy celadon or oatmeal glaze inside so it's easy to see how clean the bowl is at a glance. The interior walls should curve gently rather than meeting the floor at a hard angle, so the last bits of food or water are easy to reach.
Sizing needs to match my pet specifically rather than a generic small, medium, or large chart, so I'll share breed, weight, muzzle width, and whether this is meant for kibble, wet food, or water. For a flat-faced breed a shallower, wider profile helps; for a deep-chested dog prone to fast eating, a raised or slightly domed center that slows down gulping would be wonderful. I'd like our pet's name hand-carved or stamped into the clay near the rim before glazing, not applied as a sticker or decal that will wear off, so it stays legible and personal for the bowl's whole life. A short note on the timeline for throwing, trimming, bisque firing, glazing, and the final glaze firing would help me plan, along with drying and curing time before the bowl goes into daily use, since I understand stoneware needs real time between each stage to avoid cracking.
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