Carol McNicoll Studio Pottery Figural Bowl Titled Conversations

A large and stylish studio pottery bowl decorated with an abstract feather patterned design in a grey powdered glaze by David Leach (1911-2005) and probably dating from his early day...

A stunning Canadian studio pottery miniature bowl decorated in yellow glazes with an associated pottery stand by Lane Gordon Thorlaksson (Canadian, 1937-2009) dated 1976. Lane Gordon Thorlaksson was born in 1937 in Winnipeg, Manitoba and moved to Vancouver as a child. In his twenties, he represented Canada in the 1959 Chicago Pan-American Games, running alongside Henry 'Harry' Winston Jerome in both the 100 yard and 220-yard dash. Following this, he attended San Jose University of California and in 1966 received a BFA in Ceramics. Working with clay was Thorlaksson’s passion. He was fascinated with Asian ceramics, in particular the Song dynasty Chinese pot forms and glazes. In 1985, the Mayor of Vancouver, Mike Harcourt, visited China on a goodwill mission for the twinning of Vancouver with Guangzhou China. As gifts, he took with him several of Thorlaksson’s ceramics and presented them to Cao Yun-ping, Secretary-General of the People's Municipal Government of Guangzhou. The pieces were well received and local Chinese potters were interested to learn about his glazing techniques. In 1987, Thorlaksson was invited to visit China’s Guangzhou University to exhibit more of his work. He was aided in this exchange by Joanne Mah, the Director of Intercultural Training and Educational Consultants (ITEC), who had worked with the Harcourt exchange. In 1988, she and her husband sponsored a pre-gallery showing of Thorlaksson’s ceramics at the ITEC’s Hong Kong office, prior to an exhibition at Alvin Gallery in Hong Kong. Thorlaksson was celebrated and introduced to academics and the media, including the head of ceramics at the Guangzhou Institute of Fine Arts. Local Chinese potters were eager to learn about his firing techniques, which used multiple firings to create special glaze characteristics. They were also intrigued to understand how he designed his own stands as an integrated part of his presentation. Unlike Asian potters who used wooden stands, Thorlaksson produced his stands in clay, matching each stand in aesthetic and tone to its pot. This two-part process elevated his pieces to sculpture. He believed that ceramics should be viewed as fine art and not craft. He was inspired by the female form and was quoted as saying 'Most potters make pots; I make parts of people'. The bowl is of wide squat rounded form with a fold over rim and is decorated in pale yellow glazes over a brown ground and stands on a narrow round unglazed foot. The design is probably based and inspired by a Chinese brush washer...

A stylish English studio pottery bowl decorated in blue glazes with a trailing snake design by William Illesley (British, b.1948) and made at hi...

A fine vintage Winchcombe press-molded baking dish decorated with trailed slip designs attributable to Michael Cardew (British, 1901-1983) and probably ...

A gorgeous work by 20th century master American and renowned Minnesota studio potter/artist Warren MacKenzie. The three-footed tenmoku glazed bowl is signed/ stamped along the foot rim by MacKenzie and features a unique decorative pattern. The dark, rich glaze radiates in the light. This work would a great addition to any Warren Mackenzie or modern pottery/ ceramic collection or eye-catching stand-alone accent piece in about any setting. A student of both famed ceramic artists Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada, Mackenzie is credited with bringing the functional Japanese Mingei tradition and craft to the United States and spreading it through his own art and teaching mentorship during his long tenure at the University of Minnesota. Along with being named a Regent’s Professor, and a fellow of the International Academy of Ceramics, the highly decorated and awarded MacKenzie was the first to receive the Minnesota Governor’s Award in Crafts in 1986. He later received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Minnesota Crafts Council in 1997 and a year later he was honored with the Gold Medal from the American Crafts Council. His work can be found in numerous collections and museums including: The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The National Folk Art Museum in Tokyo, Japan The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England Contemporary American Crafts...

A fantastic, wonderfully glazed and textured Mid-Century Modern pottery bowl by renowned California master potter F. Carlton Ball. Ball, who studied with Glen Lukens, taught at the University of Southern California between 1956-1967 and later at the University of Puget Sound...

A wonderful work by East Coast/ Massachusetts master potter William Wymann. This piece features a fantastic texture and rich, sumptuous, deep ocean-like blue crackle glaze that chang...

A wonderful free-form organic bowl vessel by acclaimed British potter Peter Simpson. Simpson's works, such as this early piece, are inspired by organ...