Within the pottery tradition of Karatsu there is a style called whale skin, in which iron is painted onto the rim of a cup or dish. The name goes back to when Karatsu was an active whaling port - the dark rim against a white vessel was said to resemble a a slice of fatty whale skin. Whaling has ceased but the name remains in the word of pottery. I use cobalt instead of iron, which creates a nuance that reminds me of enamelware. At times the cobalt bleeds creating a unique edge.
