192. Andrew Sartorius, Firebox Sculpture 11

192. Andrew Sartorius, Firebox Sculpture 11

For Sartorius, see item 143.

Porcelain clay, grogged, and coated with a porcelain slip. White, pink, blue, brown, and gray colors from wood-firing. Weight: 1054 g (2.4 lb). Height: 13.2 cm (5-1/4 in). Length: 17 cm (6-3/4 in). Width: 10.7 cm (4-1/4 in).

This is roughly triangular in shape with curved sides. It sits on the flat base, a triangle with curved sides of the length and width given above. Traces of the three posts used to separate this from the shelf in the kiln are visible on the base. As with the other pieces on this series, this was hand-built. All sides are convex arcs, curving inward to the triangular top, which is 13.8 cm (5-1/2 in) long and 7.6 cm (3 in) wide. The top slopes downward from the height given above to 8.2 cm (3-1/4 in).  The front face of the piece has a small circular opening 2.5 cm (1 in) in diameter situated to the upper left portion of this side.

Wood-fired for four days near the front of an anagama kiln. In a note, Sartorius explained that the colors seen here are typical of those created by interactions between the porcelain clay and the molten wood ash.

Purchased from the artist in May 2022.

191. Andrew Sartorius, Firebox Sculpture 3, “Wing”

191. Andrew Sartorius, Firebox Sculpture 3, “Wing”

For Sartorius, see item 143.

North Carolina wild clay, a grayish brown color. Natural ash glazing in grays, blues, and creams. Weight: 620 g (1.4 lb). Height: 8.3 cm (3-1/4 in). Width: 7.9 cm (3-1/8 in). Length: 15.2 cm (6 in).

This is roughly cylindrical in shape, formed so that it slants upward. It is weighted and shaped so that it rests on a flat base at one end. The base is a rough U-shape, about 6.4 cm (2-1/2 in) wide and long at the widest points. The artist’s seal is pressed into the underside.  There is a circular opening on the top side near the weighted end, about 2.3 cm (7/8 in) in diameter. The smaller side (that nearer the opening) is a flat line at the bottom beneath slightly more than half a circle. This side bears slightly outward from the vertical from bottom to top. The other side cants upward from the base in an elongated U-shape convex  arc, roughly 9 cm (3-1/2 in) long, that becomes more and vertical as it nears the upper edge.

This was fired in the lower front of an anagama kiln for four days. A continual coating of fine ash particles melted into the surface of the piece. The only unaffected part was the base and one spot near the bottom on one side. The fire was hot enough to form glassy tears on the bottom of the piece. There was a build-up of rough ash deposits on the top near the higher end. The result, as in many pieces in this series, is a multicolored surface that looks like corroded metal with a variegated patina.

Purchased from the artist in May 2022.

 

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