Bowls are the basic unit of pottery. They were almost certainly the first thing prehistoric man (or woman) created out of clay, and used to contain food. Bowls are so useful! They'll happily hold solids or liquids. You can eat (or drink) from them, or use them to mix stuff together. You can cook in them (yes, you can!), serve from them, or just admire them.

One thing I especially like about bowls, as an artist, is the way my glazes act on the inside surface. It must be the concave shape of the bowl's inside that causes glazes to perform so well -- I mean both the way things run and blend, but also the intensity of the glazes.

Right now I make three basic "personal bowl" styles. There's the basic wide bowl with a modest rim ... there are the soup-mugs with a comfy handle (think of tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich or your favorite chili) ... and there are my new chowder bowls -- perfect for a nice clam chowder or french onion soup.

All three styles combine perfectly with my soup tureens for a really dramatic table setting. Of course, like all my work, they are safe in conventional or microwave ovens, dishwasher-proof, and free of lead or any other harmful glaze or clay ingredient.

Prices:

• Each bowl, any style ... $15
• In sets of 6 or more ... 10% discount
• In sets of 12 or more ... 15% discount