News from Earth and Fire -- July 26, 2005
These are a few of my favorite thingsWhat ties the pots together in this week's newsletter?
Me.
Spending so much time in the gallery, I can't help but become attached to some of the pots. This week I thought I'd share some of the pots that I'm particularly fond of that are in the gallery now.
The first piece is by Anne Mette Hjortshoj, a Danish potter who was an apprentice for Phil Rogers in Wales. Phil picked her as his invited guest last spring for the Five plus Five show at Earth and Fire.
This bowl has the texture of old, weathered leather. That "orange peel" texture is characteristic of salt-fired pots. It was wood-fired, and you can tell that another pot was stacked inside it in the kiln -- the markings from the three clay wads that were used to keep the pots separated It is a perfect size for an individual salad, soup or cereal bowl. It stands 3" tall, and is 6 1/2" wide at the top. It is $65.
I think I can resist taking it home with me for only a few more weeks at best (and probably only because I have so many, many bowls at home already).
Next is a covered box from a German-born potter, Maren Kloppmann, who lives in Minneapolis. I discovered Maren's work a couple of years ago at a pottery show in Demarest, NJ. Her work is very quiet and elegant, I think. The more I study it, the more I am drawn to it.
Most of her boxes have at least one little hole in them, usually in the lid (as does this one). Why does she put a little hole in them? Because she can, I suppose.
The reason I like this one so much is what Maren did with the bottom of it. Yes.. that's the underneath side of the pot in this second image. See how it's recessed a good inch? That kind of detail really impresses me. I like that she put that much effort into something that isn't seen unless you make the effort to pick the pot up.
This box is 5 1/2" tall and 4" wide. It is $165.
Finally, a few pieces by Mark Shapiro -- probably my favorite potter over all. I have three of Mark's teapots myself, and I think he makes some of the best teapots. Teapots are not easy pots to make because there are so many components. There's the body, the handle, the spout and the lid. All of these components are made separately from one another, yet they must all fit together both technically and aesthetically -- something some potters do better than others.
Mark's handles are always extremely comfortable to hold; his spouts have energy and life to them -- they aren't just a straight cylinder that is stuck on at an angle; and his lids fit extremely well. Taken as a whole, the different components just look like "they belong" together.
This teapot is 6" tall (at the tallest part of the handle), 8 1/2" wide (spout to handle) and 6" deep (diameter of the body). It sells for $300.
It has always been source of mild irritation to me, as a lover of functional pottery and therefore a tremendous supporter of functional potters -- that sculptural teapots (i.e., non-functional) can sell for pretty much any amount -- up to and including several thousand dollars. The minute you can actually brew tea in a teapot, the price drops to a maximum of $300 - $500. To me, there is as much art and beauty in this teapot as any sculptural one.
The other type of pot that I think Mark does extremely well (which means I have several of them myself), are his yunomi (small cup). I love the faceting that he does that makes each one a little different, and completely delightful to hold. I look forward in the evenings to a quiet moment with a little bit of white wine -- savored slowly from one of Mark's yunomi. Last time I received pots from Mark at the gallery, he sent me ten of these -- these two are the last ones left from that shipment. (No I didn't take any of them home with me -- this time.)
They are 4" tall and about 3 1/4" wide at their widest. They are $50 each.
Does anybody really know what time it is?
New at the gallery this week -- clocks from Leonie Lacouette and Kronosworks.
All of these clocks are battery-operated.
The narrow clock on the left is from Kronosworks - 28" tall X 5" wide - $185.
The other four clocks are from Leonie Lacouette. The smaller ones are 12 1/2" tall X 6 1/2" wide -- $135.
The large one is 24" tall X 10" wide -- $265.
That's it for this week. I hope it isn't miserably hot where you are.
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