Hand Painted Side Plate, Tulip Crown

This Hand Painted Side Plate features the “Tulip Crown” motif designed by our founder Alex Matisse. Rhythmic rings of tulip blooms wind in a fluid, continuous wreath—a symbol of abundance and renewal that blends Alex’s influences from the last 20 years. Applied with custom-formulated paints from our lab, each brushstroke has a translucent delicacy that celebrates care and intention with effortless confidence.

— Individually hand painted at East Fork
— Subtle variations show the touch of the human hand
— Beautiful on its own or layered with core colors

— Dimensions: 8.5" dia x 1" H
— Weight: 1.25 lbs
— Material: Lead Free Stoneware
— Our pottery is made by humans and reduction-fired in Asheville, North Carolina. Any differences in glaze applications and surfaces are there to embrace.

— Dishwasher and microwave safe
— Avoid open flames or preheated ovens. Our pots are oven safe up to 350° but must start in a cool oven and be brought up to temperature gradually.
— Over time, your pots might accumulate mild cutlery marks. These can be gently buffed away with warm water and scouring powder such as Bar Keeper's Friend. More information.

Hand painting was part of East Fork’s earliest years, when founder Alex Matisse decorated pots using techniques he learned as an apprentice. Today, motifs drawn from that history are painted by a small team of East Fork makers, carrying a practice rooted in apprenticeship into its next generation.

Intricate botanical motifs were a regular feature of East Fork’s earliest work, but fell away as our collection evolved and simplified. In 2026, Alex returned to painting and made the design that became the precursor to today’s Tulip Crown motif.

Today, Alex trains a small team of East Fork painters in our factory. Through practice and repetition, each painter learns the same motif, developing the muscle memory and confidence that only comes from doing something again and again.

Each piece is painted individually, so production moves at the pace of the people making it. Some are made in small batches, others painted to order. The pace is part of the process.

Turn each piece over and you’ll find the personal maker’s mark of the person who painted it. Lucky customers may even receive one made and signed by Alex Matisse.

Rachel and Alex in a pottery studio sitting and painting on ceramic plates.

Full Circle

“From the moment that East Fork started veering away from our roots, I was thinking about how to connect it back. I had some fear in trying to do something that was so of the hand in the context of what we’ve built. It came together with a surprising amount of ease.”- Alex Matisse, Founder & CEO

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Fill your home and kitchen with beautiful, enduring goods.

Yes. Our Hand Painted pottery is made for daily use, so go ahead and put it in the dishwasher and microwave. Like the rest of our pottery, it is oven-safe up to 350°F. Just start it in a cool oven and let it gradually come to temperature.

The collection grew out of Alex Matisse’s return to hand-decorating pottery, something he learned as an apprentice and resurrected with a small collection called Reverdir, released in the spring of 2026. The Tulip Crown pattern brings together influences gathered over the last 20 years, with looping tulips and wreaths meant to evoke abundance and renewal. What started with Alex’s brush has since become a living tradition, carried forward by East Fork painters trained in the process.

It sure is. Each piece is painted individually, so you’ll see subtle differences in the brushwork that show the hand of the artist who painted it. We think that’s part of what makes it great! Each piece is also stamped with a maker’s mark identifying the painter and the year it was decorated.

A small team of East Fork painters trained in the process. The tradition began with motifs painted by Alex Matisse and is now being passed along to artists like Rachel, the first hand painter to follow suit. Through practice, shared knowledge and time, more hands will carry the work forward.

Definitely! The Hand Painted pieces are lovely enough to hold their own, but they were also made to live alongside our core colors. Try one painted plate in an otherwise solid place setting, mix a few pieces around the table, or go all in if that’s more your speed.

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is a vessel for congee.

is a vessel for rocky road.

is a vessel for lemons.

is a vessel for heaping salads.

is a vessel for coq au vin.

is a vessel for hot coffee.

is a vessel for cherries.

is a vessel for new approaches.

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Hand Painted Side Plate, Tulip Crown

Build Your Collection

From One Maker’s Brush to Another

A Return To Our Roots

Passing It On

Small Batch

Signed By The Painter

Explore the Collection

The Mug, Tulip Crown $68

Dinner Plate, Tulip Crown $68

Everyday Bowl, Tulip Crown $64

Cake Plate, Tulip Crown $40

The Mug, Tulip Crown $68

Dinner Plate, Tulip Crown $68

Everyday Bowl, Tulip Crown $64

Cake Plate, Tulip Crown $40

Full Circle

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Frequently Asked Questions

Hand Painted Side Plate,
Tulip Crown