190. Caitlyn Kent, small pit-fired vase

190. Caitlyn Kent, small pit-fired vase

Kent is a Boston-area potter. For other examples of her work, see her Instagram account, @caitlynkentpottery.

White clay, colors from pit-firing. Weight: 216 g (7 oz). Diameters: maximum, 7.6 cm (3 in); of rim, 3.3 cm (1-5/16 in); of base, 5.4 cm (2-1/4 in). Height: 8.2 cm (3-1/4 in).

This sits on the flat base. The letters “NFS” were incised into the base. also incised into the base is an indecipherable squiggle. The walls rise in a shallow convex arc to the shoulders about 5.7 cm (2-1/4 in) above the base. The maximum width is about 0.7 cm (1-4 in) below this. The walls then slope inward to the neck, which begins 7.6 cm (3 in) above the base and is 3.2 cm (1-1/4 in) in diameter. Above the neck, the walls slant slightly outward to the rim. The letters “VIII” (Roman numeral 8?) have been incised into the side of the walls just above the base. The surface of this is smooth with the exception of a few small bumps from the pit-firing.

When I purchased this, Kent told me this was pit-fired in a backyard barbecue loaded with a pile of wood.  A banana peel was wrapped around the pot, which was then enclosed in an aluminum-foil saggar. The colors range from light and dark grays, through browns and reds.

A nice exploitation of the potentials of pit-firing.

Purchased at Feet of Clay’s annual spring show, 2022.

 

189. Kari Wojtanik, small wood-fired vase

189. Kari Wojtanik, small wood-fired vase

 

For Wojtanik, see item 91.

Gray clay; colors and glazing from wood-firing. Weight: 338g (12 oz). Width (maximum): 8.8 cm (3-1/2 in); of rim: 4 cm (1-5/8 in); of base: 5.4 cm (2-1/8 in). Height: 13.3 cm (5-1/4 in).

This sits on the flat base; the artist’s name “Kari” has been incised into the base. The walls rise outward from the base in more or less a straight line to the maximum width, which is 8.8 cm (3-1/2 in) above the base. From there they rise in a shallow convex arc to the neck, which is 3.2 cm (1-1/4 in) in diameter and begins 11.3 cm (4-1/2 in) above the base. The neck flares outward in a concave are to the rim, which is fairly wide. The interior of the vase mirrors the exterior. The exterior walls have a series of horizontal bands.  The texture of the portions covered by the ash glaze is smooth; those areas less affected by the wood-firing are slightly rough to the touch.

This was fired unglazed. The base color of the clay is visible on the bottom. The walls range in color from tan to brown to gray. There is a deposit of gray ash on one side at the shoulder. The mouth, rim, and the rest of the shoulder were covered with a melted ash glaze and are quite glossy and glassy. Some of this melted glazed flowed down the sides almost to the bottom, creating darker brown, lightly glazed patches.

A well-shaped, well-fired pot.  This was fired at a seminar on wood-firing in Maryland. Wojtanik is expanding her firing skills.

Purchased at Feet of Clay’s spring sidewalk sale, 2022.