128. Alder Gustafson, salt-fired extruded vase

128. Alder Gustafson, salt-fired extruded vase

Gustafson lives in Humboldt County, California. For other examples of his work and more about him, see his website, redalderstudios.com, or his Instagram account, @redalderstudios.

This (and items 129-131) were extruded from a mold that created a hollow square 4.2 cm (1-5/8 in) on a side. Gustafson then added tops and bottoms and shaped the column.

Dark gray clay, coated with a reddish-brown slip and then salt-fired. Weight: 322 g (11-1/2 oz). Roughly 4.7 cm (1-5/8 in) square. Height: 16.7 cm (6-5/8 in).

This sits on four small rectangular feet a scant quarter of a centimeter (eighth of an inch) high. On the base inside the four feet is inscribed “al ru.” After extruding, the top and bottom of the column were closed off with squarish slabs of clay. The slab on the bottom is slightly larger than the column. The walls are of variable height, generally about 14.5 cm (5-3/4 in) high. The mouth of the vase was created from a short squarish column, affixed in the center of the top, which is smaller at its base. Although the top surface of the column slants in relation to the base, the top of the mouth is level with the base. The surface of this is relatively smooth.

This was coated in a reddish slip and then salt-fired, giving the surface a sheen. Visible on two sides of the pot are the marks of the artist’s finger tips where he held the pot when he covered it with the slip. The topmost surface of the mouth was left unglazed and is a whitish gray.

This is less successful than the following three items by this potter and similarly extruded. The proportions are off and it doesn't sit securely on the base.

Purchased from the artist, July 2021.