With some Seder plates bisqued and ready to glaze, I went on to make some matzah plates.
After last Passover, I made silicone molds, brushing layers of liquid silicone on the surface of a couple of square matzahs. It was especially messy because the matzahs sort of dissolved or embedded themselves in the silicone as it set. But I was able to wash out the matzah residue after the silicone hardened.
(Great for texturing a slab...)
I rolled a couple of great big slabs. This involved lots of whacking a big chunk of clay with a big mallet into thinner (about 2" thick) pads, stretching each slab so it would be wide enough, and rolling them one by one to at least 20" in diameter and a bit under 1/4" thick.
I put them into Selma's big, curved plates, which I am using as slump molds. Selma was a lovely friend who died at 93 or so, a few years ago. I inherited her big bisqued plates, which she had never gotten around to glazing. Now I've decided to use them as slump molds to make these slab plates, and I think of her when I use them. I'm thinking she would probably have enjoyed this matzah plate process, too.
I textured the fresh clay plates, rolling the textured silicone matzah sheets into the surface. If you click on the photo below, you can see the texture better.
These plates are made to hold the large, round, handmade matzahs ("hand shmura") that many people use especially for their Passover Seder. They are 18.5"-19" at this point, but will shrink to about 16"-16 3/4" by the time they are finished, glaze and all.
Here are the slabs supported in Selma's bisqued plates, textured with the silicone sheets and some brushwork that says "matzah" in Hebrew randomly all over. One is round and one has a "handmade matzah" edge.
("Hand shmura" plates firming up so I can add a foot. Strips of clay for the feet are under plastic to the left. Click for larger image!)
Once the plates were firm enough to remove from the supportive forms, I flipped them over onto upholstery foam and added a raised foot to the bottom, each foot made from a strip of slab about 22" long. I put 4 holes through the foot so the plate can be hung on the wall as a decorative object between uses.
(By contrast to the textured top surface, the bottom surface is fairly smooth. I don't want it to catch on your tablecloth or scratch your wall.)
Remember, the gray clay will be a warm ivory, and glossy. Should come out really nice if all goes as planned.