The Stone[ware] that the Builders Refused

Talia brought this piece to show me today- making numerous qualifications as she unwrapped it ["it didn't come out the way I wanted...the shape is weak/boring"- I'm sure you know the spiel,because we all have a tendency to do it]. So my first reaction was to see what we could get out of the piece,and as soon as I got my hands on it,I felt that this heavily-black-grogged clay was made to be sanded down to reveal its true nature. Five minutes work with the angle-grinder cut the surface back to something like smooth,and voila- a dramatic improvement in appearance.The piece is indeed not without problems,but at least you can now see what it is and could be.