87. Richard Gilson, built-up vase

87. Richard Gilson, built-up vase

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Gilson, see item 85. 

Dark brown clay, black, light and dark blue glazes; base left unglazed. Weight: 1080 g (2.4 lb). Rim and maximum diameter: 10.7–11.4 cm (4-1/4 – 4-1/2 in); base diameter: 8.2 cm (3-1/4 in). Height: 16.5 cm (7.5 in).

This is a built-up piece. The base is a small bowl, with a flat base. “Gilson” was incised into the base. From the base the walls of the bowl rise outward in an arc to a height of 5 cm (2 in) and a diameter of around 10.7 cm (4-1/4 in). The walls of the pot began as a flat, irregularly shaped sheet of clay, which was then wrapped around the upper part of the bowl and joined together by laying one end over the opposite side where they met. The outer surface of this sheet was decorated with shallowly incised. overlapping spirals in various sizes. The walls have a definite tilt.

The exterior of the bowl was covered with a black glaze. The interior of the pot and the exterior walls were covered in a light blue glaze. The bottom part of the interior has a darker blue glaze. This glaze pooled in the crevices and pulled away from the edges, partially exposing the clay beneath and showing as brown in the finished piece. The surface of the walls inside and out is smooth and shiny; a luster may have been applied to these areas.

This pot has form, decoration, spontaneity, freshness, serendipity. Every angle brings new surprises.

Purchased at the annual winter sale at Feet of Clay Pottery, Brookline, Massachusetts, December 2019.