Early on I began to make some low fire vessels that I imagined might be used by exotic cultures in rituals. I decorated them, added legs, tails, etc. to form various animals.
I was also experimenting with terra sigillata, a glaze-like surfacing medium made from finely ground porcelain, coloured with ceramic stains or oxides, giving a matt, sensuously smooth surface. Sometimes I carved designs into the clay before applying the terra sig. or scratched through it for effects.
In 1988, The Alberta Crafts Council was invited to show craft works from Alberta during the Morristown Craft Market in Morristown, NJ, USA. I was fortunate enough to be included in the artists displaying their crafts and sent some of the pieces pictured here as my contribution.
Coincidently, around that time my wife and I had planned to visit friends in New York City. We took the opportunity to take the short bus trip to Morristown to see the Market. It was interesting to compare our Alberta display with creative work from across America.
tall tripod bird vessel, 1985, stoneware, 39 cm high, manganese metallic glaze, ∆5.
tripod birdpot with top handle, 1985, stoneware, 43 cm high, etched design under textured slip spray, ∆04.
tall tripod pitcher, 1985, terracotta, kaolin spray, 48 cm high, ∆04.
incised bird vessel, 1988, terracotta, incised designs, 38 cm high, ∆04.
incised bird vessel, 1988. The designs were just imagined to add interest.
rooster vessel, 1988, terracotta, 39 cm high, terra sigillata, ∆04.
black african mask vessel, 1988, earthenware, terra sigillata, 27 cm high, ∆04
anteater earthenware, 1988, 40 cm high, terra sigillata, ∆04
pterodactyl vessel, 1988, terracotta, incised designs, terra sigillata 36 cm high, ∆04
grey bird vessel, 1988 earthenware, 30 cm high, terra sigillata, ∆04
blue bird vessel, 1988, earthenware, 28 cm high, terra sigillata, ∆04
pink bird vessel, 1988, terracotta, 22 cm high, applied design, terra sigillata, ∆04.
black dog vessel, earthenware, 26 cm high, terra sigillata, ∆04 (❋)
blue wolf vessel, 1988, earthenware, 23 cm high, terra sigillata, ∆04
snake stirrup vessel, 1988, terracotta, incised designs, terra sigillata, 27 cm high, ∆04
polychrome stirrup vessel, 1988, terracotta, coloured terra sigillata, 25 cm high, ∆04
‘endless knot’ stirrup vessel, 1988, terracotta, terra sig. over carved design, ∆04.
tripod bowl, 1988, earthenware, grey terra sigillata, ∆04.
beaver, earthenware, 1989, 36 cm long, terra sigillata, ∆04
