This woodfired textured platter with a small porcelain dipping bowl was inspired by the needs of dining. Often the first thing to start a memorable meal is something to share – snacks or bread – that is presented to the table to begin the ceremony of eating. Iona Crawford Topp looked to the local coastline along which she walks every day, and was inspired by the contrasts between rough textured stones and fine, smooth shells with movement in everything. These observations were the starting point to design this piece.

Height 10 cm
Width 15 cm

Heavy, dramatic textures become commonplace at the coast, the landscape is constantly changing and moving. Iona Crawford Topp wanted to convey this dramatic movement in her work. She began playing with cutting into rough clays, stretching, and hitting them to create texture. The wood firing process adds rich color but also subtleties to the surface of the clay, mimicking weathered rocks.

Height 15 cm
Diameter 11 cm

Taking classical shapes, Iona Crawford Topp has used a rough dark clay, which is then woodfired and finished with an old Chinese glaze recipe to create tableware that really speaks to the landscape. With the underside of the pieces left unglazed, the flames have toasted the raw clay, leaving them tactile and earthy. When designing tableware, Iona thinks of what type of food will be eaten from them. The upward flared angle of the bowls is inviting and tame the food within.

Height 21 cm
Diameter 19 cm

Iona Crawford Topp was commissioned by The House Restaurant in Waterford to make tableware. The chef, Ian Doyle, has a style of cooking that is very much in tune with the surroundings and the seasons. She designed tableware to showcase his cooking and to complement the food. She decided to make uncomplicated yet refined tableware, with delicate glazes that would not detract from the food itself but enhance it.

Height 8 cm
Width 20 cm