Pale Blue Flower, a Unique Celadon & Pale Blue Porcelain Vase by Vivienne Foley

‘Green Seed Pod’ is a unique porcelain sculptural vessel by the British artist, Vivienne Foley. Vivienne Foley is based in Gloucestershire where she produces exquisite ceramic scu...

‘Pale Blue Flower with Foliate Rim’ is a unique porcelain sculptural vessel by the British artist, Vivienne Foley. Vivienne Foley is based in Gloucestershire where she produces ex...

‘Vase with Star Rim' is a unique porcelain sculptural vessel by the British artist, Vivienne Foley. Vivienne Foley is based in Gloucestershire where she produces exquisite ceramic sculpture. Although in essence they are often functional pieces in form, it is their appearance that makes each unique work so much more. From dramatic structures to gentle sweeping curves, Foley's inherent understanding of porcelain is more than evident and testament to her patience with this most difficult of materials. Having worked with porcelain for over 5 decades, it is Foley’s dedication that gives her such sensitivity towards her medium. This combined with her expert glazing and acknowledgement of this material’s vast history, results in very fresh and modern works that equally pay homage to what has gone before. Flower forms, poppy heads, bracts and petals translate into foliate rims and sinuous necks, carved and pleated or swept into a spiral. A contemporary marriage of craft, history and nature. In her own words: “As a professional potter I have been producing thrown porcelains for over fifty years and so logic would dictate that I have ‘seen it all, done it all’ by now, but on the contrary I still continue to be challenged and interested. The technical frustrations and the uncertainty of results all seem worthwhile when one opens a successful kiln firing. The heart leaps! I have never been afraid to push my materials to the limit, to accept failures and to follow trails, but I am always excited when basic techniques and familiar methods result in something new. My primary interest is in ‘form’ and in finding solutions for what I call ‘damp engineering’. The comparatively non-plastic nature of porcelain dictates my having to join sections together, but a form must ‘flow’ and construction methods should not be obvious. Over the years I have fired every sort of kiln and dallied with glazes, spending untold hours testing and rejecting, but since I now work in a small space I find simple black and white glazes and slips are less distracting and best enhance my forms. I am not influenced by any particular thing – rather, I am interested in everything; always looking for quality and workmanship. I love all aspects of the design world from architecture to textiles. Museums, galleries and exhibitions are my addiction, with photography and the natural world a constant inspiration. My travels to China and my ongoing study of Chinese ceramics have also been an enduring theme and I have been lucky enough to handle and photograph some of the world’s great collections” Foley has a global following and is represented in private and public collections world wide. Public Collections and Acquisitions National Museum of Ireland, Dublin • Limerick City Art Gallery • Ulster Museum, N. Ireland • Crafts Council of Ireland • Centre of Ceramic Art, York Museums Trust • Southampton City Art Gallery • Leeds Museums & Galleries • US Ambassador to Ireland, Jean Kennedy Smith • President Hillery of Ireland • President Mary Robinson...

‘Vase with Foliate Rim II' is a unique porcelain sculptural vessel by the British artist, Vivienne Foley. Vivienne Foley is based in Gloucestershire where she produces exquisite ceramic sculpture. Although in essence they are often functional pieces in form, it is their appearance that makes each unique work so much more. From dramatic structures to gentle sweeping curves, Foley's inherent understanding of porcelain is more than evident and testament to her patience with this most difficult of materials. Having worked with porcelain for over 5 decades, it is Foley’s dedication that gives her such sensitivity towards her medium. This combined with her expert glazing and acknowledgement of this material’s vast history, results in very fresh and modern works that equally pay homage to what has gone before. Flower forms, poppy heads, bracts and petals translate into foliate rims and sinuous necks, carved and pleated or swept into a spiral. A contemporary marriage of craft, history and nature. In her own words: “As a professional potter I have been producing thrown porcelains for over fifty years and so logic would dictate that I have ‘seen it all, done it all’ by now, but on the contrary I still continue to be challenged and interested. The technical frustrations and the uncertainty of results all seem worthwhile when one opens a successful kiln firing. The heart leaps! I have never been afraid to push my materials to the limit, to accept failures and to follow trails, but I am always excited when basic techniques and familiar methods result in something new. My primary interest is in ‘form’ and in finding solutions for what I call ‘damp engineering’. The comparatively non-plastic nature of porcelain dictates my having to join sections together, but a form must ‘flow’ and construction methods should not be obvious. Over the years I have fired every sort of kiln and dallied with glazes, spending untold hours testing and rejecting, but since I now work in a small space I find simple black and white glazes and slips are less distracting and best enhance my forms. I am not influenced by any particular thing – rather, I am interested in everything; always looking for quality and workmanship. I love all aspects of the design world from architecture to textiles. Museums, galleries and exhibitions are my addiction, with photography and the natural world a constant inspiration. My travels to China and my ongoing study of Chinese ceramics have also been an enduring theme and I have been lucky enough to handle and photograph some of the world’s great collections” Foley has a global following and is represented in private and public collections world wide. Public Collections and Acquisitions National Museum of Ireland, Dublin • Limerick City Art Gallery • Ulster Museum, N. Ireland • Crafts Council of Ireland • Centre of Ceramic Art, York Museums Trust • Southampton City Art Gallery • Leeds Museums & Galleries • US Ambassador to Ireland, Jean Kennedy Smith • President Hillery of Ireland • President Mary Robinson...

‘Black Classic Vase III' is a unique porcelain sculptural vessel by the British artist, Vivienne Foley, which has been released from her own personal arc...

‘Dish Mouth Vase II’ is a unique porcelain sculptural vessel by the British artist, Vivienne Foley, which has been released from her own personal archive of artworks. Vivienne Fole...

A celadon colored porcelain floral motif vase, by H. Bequet Quaregnon, Belgium, c. 1940. This decorative vase would look great displayed in an array of interior styes. The celadon and gold trimmed...

A very unusual and quite large pair of Empire period Sèvres Porcelain pale Celeste blue and faux porphyry ground vases. Each vase is intricately hand painted with meticulous detail and further adorned with 24-karat hand painted gilt decoration. The bases are a very unusual hand painted faux porphyry porcelain. Each vase and base is marked with various pressnumera and Sèvres signs...

Contemporary Chinese large porcelain vase. Pale turquoise with tan speckles on upper part of vase, solid black bottom band. Two are available and sold in...

Unique Effie Hegermann-Lindencrone: Vase porcelain, B& G Bing & Grondahl, modeled in light relief. Number 1998/28. Measures: Height 35.5 cm. 1st. factory quality, in perfect condi...

This is a very fine high-footed campana made by Royal Crown Derby in 1916 in the Edwardian style. The vase has a deep cobalt or mazarine blue ground with sublime raised gilt decorati...

Pair of 1920s French royal blue porcelain vases with bronze mounts and marked Sevres. Measurements: Height 16.5".