There are two completely different objects in this collection. They share a page because they come from the same studio, carry the same glazes, and sit right together on a table even when the pieces aren't from the same batch. But the oyster platter and the deep plate don't serve the same purpose, and the copy that describes one doesn't describe the other.
The oyster platters are the studio's largest flat form. Wide, low-profile, made for a table rather than a place setting - the right scale for a ceramic serving platter that holds a full spread of cheese, fruit, or anything that benefits from being laid out and looked at. Because the glaze is brush-applied across a larger surface, there's more movement visible in it on a platter than on a smaller piece: colour shifts in different light, pools slightly at the edges, shows the direction of the brush in a way that reads as intentional rather than inconsistent. A pottery platter that earns its place on the counter even when it's empty.
Deep plates are a different proposition. Wide-rimmed and slightly raised, proportioned for individual portions - a form that works for pasta, for anything with sauce, for a meal that needs some containment without a bowl's depth. The generous width means they double as serving pieces if you want them to. The same abstract glaze palette runs across both forms, which is why a deep plate and an oyster platter look right together on a table without being a matched set.
Two clays, one studio. The deep plates are made from cone 6 midfire porcelain - a refined, dense clay that gives the glaze a clean base. The oyster platters are white speckled cone 6 midfire stoneware - heavier in the hand, with more visible surface character, and wide enough that the speckle reads as texture rather than noise. Both forms are food safe and fired to cone 6 for durability.
Handmade ceramic plates and platters from the studio at Bellambi, Wollongong, NSW. Free tracked shipping on orders over $190 Australia-wide, each piece packed individually at the studio.
Making plates and platters by hand
The deep plates and oyster platters are made in the same studio, through the same two-firing process, but from different clays - and that difference matters to how they feel and how the glaze reads on each.
Deep plates are formed from cone 6 midfire porcelain. After forming, each plate is trimmed at the rim, then left to firm up before bisque firing. The bisque hardens the clay and prepares the surface to absorb the glaze. Glaze goes on by brush in layers - the same abstract palette runs across all the studio's work, but how it's applied to a plate differs from a bowl or a vase. On a flat or near-flat surface, the colour has nowhere to pool or run, so the brush direction stays more visible.
Oyster platters are formed from white speckled cone 6 midfire stoneware. The wider form means the glaze covers more surface, and the speckle in the clay shows through in places where the glaze sits lighter. Both forms go through the same bisque-then-glaze-fire sequence at the studio in Bellambi.
What's special about buying handmade ceramic platters and plates?
Food safe, Dishwasher safe and Microwave safe
Cone 6 fired, fully vitrified clay. Food safe, dishwasher safe and microwave safe on every piece in this collection.
Unlike Anything in a Shop
Every piece is handmade in Wollongong by one woman - Rhiannon Gill. Each piece is truly unique. You won't see bowls like these in other peoples cupboards.
Unique, Food Safe Glazes
Made in our Bellambi studio on the NSW South Coast. Hand-trimmed and brush-glazed with Rhiannon's own glazes.
Free Tracked Shipping Across Australia
For orders above $190, flat rate shipping of $15 on all other orders. Contact us for international shipping quotes.
Questions about our range of handmade ceramic servingware?
Yes - both forms are dishwasher and microwave safe. The deep plates are made from cone 6 midfire porcelain and the oyster platters from white speckled cone 6 midfire stoneware; both are fully vitrified after the glaze fire, which makes them non-porous and safe for the dishwasher and microwave. Avoid sudden temperature changes - don't transfer a cold piece directly into a hot oven or vice versa.
Two different things entirely. Deep plates are an individual-serve form - wide-rimmed with enough depth to hold a sauce or a full pasta portion, proportioned for the person sitting in front of it. They work as dinner plates, as individual serving pieces, or as a deep plate for anything that needs some containment without a bowl's depth. Oyster platters are a shared form. They're the studio's widest and flattest piece, made for the middle of a table - a ceramic serving platter sized for cheeseboards, for fruit, for a roasted vegetable spread, for anything that benefits from being laid out and presented. The two forms use the same abstract glaze palette, which is why they pair naturally at a table without being a matching set.
Yes. The wide, flat profile makes it a natural ceramic charcuterie board or ceramic cheese board - there's enough room for a full spread, and the glaze provides enough visual interest that the platter reads as a considered surface rather than a backdrop. The clay is non-porous after the glaze fire and the surface is food safe. Nothing about the form limits it to a single use.
Two different clays, depending on the form. The deep plates are made from cone 6 midfire porcelain - a dense, refined clay that gives a clean base for the layered glaze work. The oyster platters are made from white speckled cone 6 midfire stoneware - heavier in the hand and with more visible surface character, which gives the glaze on a wider piece more texture to work with. Both clays are fired to cone 6 temperature, which makes them non-porous, food safe, and durable for daily use.
Yes. Both the deep plates and the oyster platters are handmade at the studio in Bellambi, Wollongong, NSW. The forming, trimming, glazing and firing all happen on site. Free tracked shipping on orders over $190 Australia-wide. For international orders, contact us directly.
Oyster platters come in different sizes - check the individual product listing for the exact dimensions of the piece you're considering. They're the studio's largest flat form, sized for a full spread on a table. If you're ordering as a gift and want to confirm the scale before purchasing, email hello@rhiannongillceramics.com.
Yes - free tracked shipping on all orders over $190, Australia-wide. Each piece is packed individually at the studio in Bellambi. For orders under the free shipping threshold, shipping is a flat-rate of $15 within Australia. For international shipping enquiries, contact us directly on hello@rhiannongillceramics.com.