Food Project: Hand building

We've been set a new project to make a ceramic piece on which to serve food at our Christmas buffet. We are challenged to come up with an unusual way of presenting food.

I am taking using this as an opportunity to try out a new clay. I want to see how this Superwhite Stoneware works for me when hand building and coiling a bigger pot. I am searching for good clay that fires very white at high temperatures and is be nice to work with when hand building.

So far, I've not enjoyed the hand building process with this clay as it is very floppy and has no grit. However, once leather hard the smoothing and finishing is a real joy.

The more I worked on the funnel the more it reminded me of Georgia O'Keeffe's flowers. My challenge now is how to finish off its shape closing down the hole on the side. Then I'll choose what food to serve in it.