Vase 1984

This Vase, made by Randy Johnston, is an earthy vessel speaking of process and chance. The drippy glaze is luscious, running in rivulets. It reminds me that artmaking is often about letting go and embracing accidents. Look closely and you see the clay body peeking through, grounding the piece in its materiality. The surface is mottled, uneven, full of surprises - kind of like life, right? It's as if Johnston isn't just forming clay, but capturing a moment, a feeling. There's this one spot, near the top, where the glaze pools and darkens. It's like a little secret, a shadow hinting at hidden depths. Johnston’s work shares a kinship with that of Peter Voulkos, who similarly pushed the boundaries of ceramic sculpture. Like Voulkos, Johnston embraces a kind of controlled chaos, valuing the unpredictable nature of the firing process. Each piece becomes a record of its own making, a testament to the ongoing conversation between artist, material, and fire.