Vase c. 1990

This Vase was made by Robert Barnard, sometime after 1949, and it’s crafted from stoneware. The earthy tones, the mottled surface, it all speaks to a process deeply connected to the material itself. It's like Barnard let the clay and the fire have a conversation, and this vase is what they came up with. Run your eyes over the body of the vase; notice the way the color shifts from a deep reddish-brown at the bottom to a smoky grey near the top. That's the magic of the kiln, a dance of heat and chance. The texture isn't smooth or polished, but alive with tiny imperfections. You can almost feel the artist's hands coaxing the clay into shape, leaving their mark on its surface. See those subtle marks around the belly of the piece? To me, they're like whispers, like the clay is telling a story. Thinking about this, I'm reminded of Lucie Rie, another potter who knew how to let the material sing. Like Rie, Barnard isn't just making a vase, he's capturing a moment, a feeling, in clay. Art isn't about answers, it's about questions, about keeping the conversation going.