About this Product
My handmade nautical fish dish can be used as a fish soap, serving dish, New England gift, Beach House spoon rest, trinket dish, or displayed as ceramic fish art.
Slab built, handmade New England pottery by S Amaral.
This beautiful 8 inch handmade dish was cut from a slab of earth and were clay and impressed with a vintage doily. I used seashells to impress the and the tail, coral to impress the lips and a circle to impress the eye. Each fish I make is a one of a kind, original, useful piece of art.
Each dish is slump molded on a smooth stone to give it shape. The vintage doily was handmade by a great-great grandmother. I enhance the impressions with varying underglazes to create a unique pattern of colors. After kiln firing, I glazed the front and the back to produce a lasting keepsake. See more under How it is Made.
The glazes I use are dinnerware safe and can be used for serving food. It is dishwasher safe, but top shelf only and washed with caution. I prefer handwashing.
This is a unique gift for a Coastal home, Beach House, or anyone who loves Fish Decor. ! I love it as a soap dish, because the impressions help us disburse the water.
The generous size of this soap dish is about 8” x 5”
Beachwood
Meet the Maker
Everything I offer for sale is designed and handmade by me. I enjoy creating art of natural mediums. Pottery is my favorite thing to make, followed by Sea Glass and Wampum Jewelry.
I live along the coast of Massachusetts. The shoreline I walk daily with my dog is the one I played on as a child. The stories of hurricanes and homes swept out to sea are always on my mind when I find unique ocean tumbled shards of glass, pottery and bricks. Sharing the history and simple beauty of the sea treasures I find is why I opened Beachwood Street Designs, an online business I operate from a loft looking over picturesque Buzzards Bay.
My pottery line is now celebrating it's 35th year. My slab built pottery is slump molded on beach stones and impressed with shells and flowers. My work has sold throughout the country in many storefronts. My cranberry pottery line was carried by Ocean Spray’s “Cranberry World Visitors Center” and shipped worldwide.
My family tree dates back to the 1600's and includes both the Mayflower Pilgrims and Native Americans. Samoset, who befriended the Pilgrims, is my 11th great grandfather. It is often my ancestry that inspires my original artistic designs.
Please enjoy browsing my designs. May you always have a shell in your pocket and a love for the ocean in your heart!
Susan Amaral
Artist
How it’s Made
To make this dish, I start out with a slab of wet clay. I cut off a chunk and roll it flat with a rolling pin, much like you would if you were making cookies. I press the wet clay with a vintage doily. I have designed some fish shapes which I use to cut out the shape, once I remove the doily, I use shells and coral to make some of the impressions.
Once dry, which can take up to two weeks, I use a wet sponge to smooth the edges and clean the bottom. I then place it in my large kiln with many other items that I have handmade. I fire it to a temperature of 2000°. The firing takes about 6-7 hours and another 10 hours to cool. When they are removed from the kiln, they are in a state that is called bisque fired.
Next I apply a glaze by hand with a brush. I need to apply several coats, allowing it time to dry in between. Once I have done all the rest of the bisque fired pieces. I return them to the kiln and repeat another 2000° firing. This process is called the glaze firing. In the glaze firing the liquid glaze, which is actually a fine crushed glass, melts into a glass coating with a brilliant shine, producing a sustainable keepsake.
****Eco-Friendly and Sustainable:
My handmade pottery pieces are made of natural clay and lead-free glazes. My Pottery is eco-friendly because it is durable and longer lasting than other materials.
The making of pottery does not require the use of any other natural sources like trees and makes a sustainable contribution to protecting forest and landscapes across the globe.
Because pottery is considered sustainable in sourcing, making, distributing, and disposing of, it has little impact on the environment.
When making sustainable lifestyle choices that impact the environment, Pottery can stand up very well and last a long time.
Stand is for display and is not included.
Shop Policies
Returns
Returns are accepted. Contact me first with any concerns or questions within 3 days of receiving your order. Please return item in the original packaging. Buyer is responsible for return shipping costs and any loss in value if an item isn't returned in original condition. Most items are shipped USPS and do come with a small amount of insurance. Damaged items and lost items can be refunded by filing a claim either in person (preferred) at your local post office or online at USPS.com
Custom and personalized orders
Custom order pottery pieces from start to finish take about 4 weeks on an average. I make every piece by hand from a wet piece of clay. The clay takes time to dry. Each piece is them trimmed and rough edges are smoothed. I hand paint each piece, fire it in my kiln, glaze it and fire it again. Sometimes I have blank piece partially the process, so message me with any questions. I'm happy to work with you.
Personalized ornaments are done within a day. I use an oil paint pen to add names to my ornaments after I make them.
Custom jewelry orders take about 5 business days.
Care Instructions
Jewelry Care Instructions - Use a polish cloth on Silver and sliver plated findings.
Pottery Care Instructions- All glazes used on my pottery is food safe and can be treated like regular dishes and cared for with regular dish washing methods. I suggest hand washing, however many pieces of average size can be placed in the dishwasher's top shelf.
Pottery is Eco-Friendly and Sustainable. Selecting Beachwood Street Designs, when making sustainable lifestyle choices that impact the environment, is the right choice. My handmade pieces are eco-friendly. Made of natural clay and lead-free glazes, my pottery is durable and longer lasting than other materials. The making of pottery does not require the use of any other natural sources, like trees, and makes a sustainable contribution to protecting forest and landscapes across the globe. Because pottery is considered sustainable in sourcing, making, distributing, and disposing of, it has little impact on the environment.
Jewelry is Eco-Friendly: Wampum and Sea Glass is used in the shape that I find on the beaches along a historic whaling harbor.
Gift Messages: A personal gift note may be added to your order on request. Holiday tissue paper is used November through December.
Packing Slips and Receipts are not included with an order to reduce the carbon footprint. They are emailed or available in your account
