Monday, October 26, 2020

BLUE BOWL

There are a number of forms, surfaces and ideas that I revisit from time to time, sometimes I am asked to revisit them and other times something triggers it. For a number of years I made these lobed Persian blue and gold luster bowls for various holiday sales and just recently I ran in to a photo of one and decided to make a couple. The execution is simple enough, thrown out of terra cotta the lip is both cut and then pulled to create the lobes and once done the bowls are covered in a black slip and then the white is added. The bowls are then bisqued, glazed and fired after which I apply the gold luster and fire them one last time, far more effort than difficulty. As you may be able to see the inside of the bowl is a deep, dark, rich surface where in the very bottom pools a small spiral of Persian blue because of the thickness adding just enough to add a simple touch to the interior. I only made a couple of these bowls and in truth rarely make that many, the time investment is certainly more than most pieces and the gold luster just keeps getting more and more expensive while the bowl prices do not. I had the urge and made the bowls, now I'll just move along.