Her Handcrafted Pieces Reflect the Shared Artistry of Chef and Maker Alike

When dining at a restaurant, guests might not notice the subtleties of the ceramics on which their food is being presented—the slight grooves, finishes or glazes that harmonize with a chef’s vision. But for Michelle Peterson of Slow Bloom Ceramics in Providence, those details are everything. A production potter and restaurant industry veteran, Peterson brings a deep understanding of how a plate can shape the experience of a meal.

“I found ceramics during a really uncertain time,” she says. She turned to clay after being laid off from a Rhode Island restaurant she helped open in her mid-20s. “I’ve always turned to art for grounding. Clay became that for me.”

In 2020 Peterson began studying with master potter Mazin Adam, whose studio emphasized repetition and discipline. “He’d always say, ‘miles on the hands,’” she says with a laugh. “That idea of production work really stuck with me and it’s still how I approach design today.”

Those lessons in glaze testing and making materials from scratch instilled confidence in her visual language and a curiosity to blend tradition with contemporary sensibilities. Three years later she started to build Slow Bloom Ceramics.

Her background in hospitality naturally found its way into her work. “I’ve always admired how chefs think about presentation,” she says. “That mutual appreciation just opened the doors to working together.” Over time, those doors have led to collaborations with some of Providence’s notable new restaurants, including Claudine, Frank & Laurie’s and others that have embraced her vessels’ quiet character and utility.

“She approached the project with such openness and a true desire to collaborate,” says Maggie McConnell, co-owner and co-chef of Claudine. “As an artist, she’s deeply committed to working with chefs, which for us feels like a dream come true. Her work is stunning, and we’re so honored to have it as part of our dinner service.”

Peterson’s approach to collaboration is intuitive and deeply personal. “Sometimes chefs trust my eye completely; other times, they’ll come with sketches or ideas about size and form,” she explains. “Either way, it’s about understanding what kind of experience they want to create—whether a dish should sit quietly in the background or make a statement.” She designs with each restaurant’s story in mind, often beginning with color palettes and textures that evoke the tone of the space.

Beyond production, Peterson continues to grow Slow Bloom organically through workshops in collaboration with Providence chefs. These ticketed, public events invite people to experience clay firsthand and have been held in spaces like Dye House, Sawyer’s and the Eno Fine Wines Roof Deck. Whether attendees are building their first piece or learning the nuances of hand-building, each pop-up celebrates the connection between food, craft and community.

As Slow Bloom expands beyond Rhode Island with her next set of pieces making their way to a Michelin-starred restaurant in Montreal and nonprofit The Again. Foundation. Peterson remains rooted in the creative community that shaped her. “It’s really fun to work in tandem with chefs,” she says. “Every collaboration starts with emotion—what the chef is trying to express—and that makes every piece feel alive.”

When Paula Agganis is not out exploring local farms and artisan studios and writing about them, she can be found in the kitchen at Paula’s at Courtland Club in Providence.

Find Slow Bloom Ceramics on social @slowbloomceramics.