Description
A platter is a stage. And on this oval porcelain platter from Louise at Living Ginger in Galway, the stage itself is a garden pressed into clay.
Measuring 33cm by 15cm, this elongated oval offers surprising breadth for its length—enough room for a side of salmon, a row of bruschetta, a gathering of cheeses, or the simple arrangement of seasonal vegetables. But even empty, it commands attention. Its surface tells a story of slow craft and close looking.
Before the clay stiffens, Louise gathers fresh leaves, ferns, and fine stems—often from the hedgerows and gardens around her Galway studio. She presses each plant directly into the wet porcelain, then lifts it away, leaving every vein, every serrated edge, every graceful curve recorded in relief. The platter is then fired, after which a translucent glaze is carefully applied. It pools in the deepest impressions, catching light like dew, while drawing back from the higher clay to leave a soft, unglazed texture under your fingertips.
The result is a landscape you can serve from. Run your hand across the surface and you’ll feel the ghost of a fern frond, the rib of a leaf, the fleeting architecture of a plant that will never wither. Because each piece is made entirely by hand, no two platters are the same—some dense with overlapping botanicals, others spare and airy, like a haiku pressed into porcelain.
The oval shape (33cm x 15cm) is balanced and generous: long enough for a baguette, wide enough for a fillet, graceful enough for a row of candles. Use it for everyday meals or special gatherings. Wash it carefully, then set it out again—this time, perhaps, just to look at.
Living Ginger makes objects that carry nature forward, one impression at a time.
