Oatmeal and Blue Midnight with Aventurine by Lisa Bentley-Brokaw

Nested bowl set, featuring Aventurine, Oatmeal and Blue Midnight by Lisa Bentley-Brokaw

This nested bowl set by Lisa Bentley-Brokaw showcases Oatmeal and Blue Midnight on speckled buff stoneware fired to Cone 6. The exterior of each bowl is finished with three coats of AMACO Oatmeal, while the interior is glazed with three coats of Blue Midnight. A hand-painted Band of Aventurine circles each piece near the rim, creating a visual transition between the warm exterior and the deep blue interior.

The combination of Oatmeal and Blue Midnight produces a strong contrast in both color and surface character. Oatmeal develops soft cream, amber, and honey tones that break over edges and textured areas. Inside the bowls, Blue Midnight forms a glossy surface with deep cobalt and navy tones that pool in recessed areas. The speckled clay body remains visible beneath both glazes, contributing additional texture and variation throughout the set.

How Oatmeal and Blue Midnight Work Together

One of the most interesting features of Oatmeal and Blue Midnight is the meeting point between the two glazes along the rim. The transition creates lighter blue highlights, subtle variations in tone, and areas where the glaze movement becomes more noticeable after firing. The Band of Aventurine adds a fine decorative accent and introduces small reflective details that help define the boundary between the interior and exterior surfaces.

This bowl set demonstrates how Oatmeal and Blue Midnight can create depth, contrast, and surface variation while allowing the character of the clay body to remain visible. Fired to Cone 6, the combination offers a balance of warm and cool tones that works especially well on functional pottery such as serving bowls and kitchen ware.

A little Aventurine makes a big difference

Credit: Lisa Bentley-Brokaw