to cup or not to cup ?

Ahhh, cups... I love em' and I hate em'. Mostly I love them.
I collect cups from other potters (only white ones). A good cup is such a pleasure to hold if it is made well. I like them light with a lip that feels good in the mouth. Handles, if they have them, should be nice to hold, enough room for two fingers, though I love cups without handles. Christa Assad makes a great cup. Her work is so lovely to hold and over time her glazes patina with use. I have also been admiring Karin Eriksson's cups. They are unusual and graceful. I will have to add some of hers to my collection.

I battle with the cup, mostly because of the time it takes to make them. I often say to people "I am not a cup maker" which is a big fat lie. I am a cup maker. I just made about twenty of them with my new self made molds. I am experimenting with new techniques for the surface. In the past I have drawn a little flower, stained it black and painted the inside of the cup. Now I am working with a relief pattern on the surface, combining hand painting and stitch marks. I keep trying to keep it simple but that is impossible for me. So here I am again battling with the cup. Screwy, I know. I should just give in and say, I AM A CUP MAKER! Everyone loves the cup. Especially me.