Vase 1893 - 1911

This vase, of unknown date, was made by Dedham Pottery. The way the glazes pool and run, it makes me think about process – the way a ceramicist can coax a surface into something totally surprising. I love the tension between control and accident here. See how the earthy browns and greens streak down the vase’s surface? The glaze isn’t just sitting there; it's moving, flowing. It’s got this melty, organic feel, like something you’d find in nature. The way the glaze gathers near the base is particularly nice, it looks a little like a tiny mountain range. It reminds me a little of some of the looser moments in Helen Frankenthaler’s paintings – that same sense of letting the material do its thing and finding the beauty in the unpredictable. It’s a reminder that art is a conversation, and it doesn't always need to have a neat and tidy end point.