Vase 1895 - 1921

This is William Walley’s vase, its small form glazed in hues of brown and green. I’m picturing the potter Walley, his hands coaxing and shaping the clay. The pressure he applied to the wheel, the glaze bubbling and hardening in the kiln. I wonder if he was thinking about nature? The leafy green makes me think of a lillypad sitting on the surface of a pond, the brown trim like the muddy water underneath. I imagine him experimenting with different glazes and textures, chasing the perfect balance of color and form. It reminds me a little of George Ohr and his pots with their unpredictable surfaces, both potters pushing the boundaries of their medium and finding new ways to express themselves through clay. Making this vase could have been an act of meditation for Walley, a way to connect with the earth and his own creativity. His work shows that artists are in a constant conversation with one another, and I feel like I can hear Walley’s voice through this vase.