As much as I seem to complain
working in terra cotta, there are few other clays that have the same feeling or
sensibility in the wedging, throwing or trimming. It is a singularly unique
clay and the range of firing allows wonderful opportunities in relation to
brilliant color development and rich slip work. During my cycles dedicated to
terra cotta, a large portion of the work ends up being black & white
slipware. Though based on a historic tradition and even design devices, I am
constantly trying to incorporate the "now" into the pots and hope
that comes through in the finished pottery. Illustrated is a larger teapot and
a larger platter decorated in black and white slips. The teapot is decorated in
an all over slashes repeat pattern and the platter with repeated spiral
designs. The spiral is one of my favorite devices and probably one of the
oldest designs on earth representing a wide array of symbolic meanings among
almost all cultures on Earth. I am not sure that there can be a more simple
design that is imbued with such an infinity number of possible interpretations.
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