June Mug of the Month Progress Update: Gerri vonHofen

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I agreed to participate in the Mug of the Month series because I saw it as a chance to push myself—to go deeper into my own creative voice and challenge the boundaries of what I thought I could do. I’ve made plenty of mugs before, but this was different. This project became not just a technical challenge, but a personal one. It asked me to slow down, listen more closely to my instincts, and fully commit to a design that felt true to who I am as an artist.

Once I had the design in mind—sketched the old-school way, with pencil and paper—I started shaping the physical form. I chose a clean, straight-sided cylinder using Standard 563 white clay, with a subtle foot set just inside the silhouette. The idea was for the carved design to take center stage, not the form itself.

The handle became its own exploration. I researched and experimented with styles, eventually finding inspiration in a ribbon-like form that flowed naturally from the cylinder. This handle not only supported the idea of movement and transformation—it felt like a continuation of the carved design. But it came with technical challenges. The clay needed to be at just the right stage—not too soft, not too dry—and careful attention had to be given to drying and stress points. I supported each handle with foam and gave the mugs several days under plastic to slowly dry.

Once the forms were ready, I moved into carving. That stage was deeply meditative. With the help of Septimus, we experimented with stamps, stencils, and transfer methods until we found the right balance: using an inked, cut-apart stamp as a guide that allowed me to hand-carve the design onto each piece. This method gave me the freedom to make every mug slightly different—a quiet nod to the uniqueness in each of us.  Tools used: Cricut Maker 3 and Creality Falcon 2 Laser.

Glazing was its own learning curve. I wanted to reflect the bold colors of a blue and gold macaw, which meant I needed to experiment with both pre-mixed and dry-mix glazes—something I hadn’t done before. With guidance and a bit of courage, I mixed Standard Premix Dry Glazes by hand and tested several combinations. In the end, the Mayco Blue Surf commercially offered glaze provided exactly what I was hoping for: movement, depth, and color variation that echoed the flow of the carved lines.

Even the method of glaze application became a new skill to learn—spraying, brushing, dipping—I tested them all. Spraying offered the best blend of control and subtlety, letting the design underneath shine through without overpowering it.  They are in the test kiln now and I guess everyone will have to wait until the final presentation to see how things turned out!

This mug has become more than just a month long assignment—it’s a reflection of growth, intention, and creative trust. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to explore all of this through POCG community. Thank you for following along on the journey.

-Gerri

Reservations to purchase Gerri's limited edition mug are available now. Stay tuned at the end of June for the final update and presentation of her work!

Reserve Your June Mug Today!