Vessels

Closed forms in clay are a challenge to create on a potter's wheel because the artist cannot keep a steadying hand inside as she narrows the opening.  Nonetheless, Toshiko Takaezu expertly extended each of these breast-like vessels to a narrow nub, leaving the tiniest possible aperture for expanding gases to escape during firing.

A master of color as well as of form, the internationally revered ceramist boldly poured and splashed glazes on these distinctive shapes.  In the smaller piece, horizontal bands suggest a landscape divided by a sea of super-saturated cobalt.  The surface of the buff-colored larger vessel is coarser, as if to emphasize the earthy origin of clay.

When Takaezu's Vessels are held in the hand, they emit a gentle rattle, which adds an aural dimension to the visual and tactile pleasures of her art.