Monthly Archives: November 2012

The masks and artifacts of Daniel Hawkins

 

” My work is meant to have the feel of an artifact. An emotional or mental artifact made solid. A cultural artifact from some place where the future and past are merged. Some parts original, some ancient, others still evolving. Ideas of fragmentation, the beauty of the spirit that has been tried and survived, the diaspora of the modern soul. ” – Daniel Hawkins artifact from Daniel Hawkins

 

Any process of creating visual art has always been a source of inspiration for Daniel Hawkins. This passion began at a young age when he began drawing and painting while growing up in the Midwest,  surrounded by cornfields and fireflies. This led to years spent professionally as an illustrator, graphic designer, painter, photographer and finally as a planetarium producer and digital artist. Dan began working in figurative sculptural work in the early 1990’s after taking some classes in pottery and ceramics. His early interest in fantasy genres, visionary subjects and the symbolic became infused in his sculptures.

Dans body of work in ceramic sculptures reaches deeply into ancient art traditions and symbols and interprets them insightfullly and reverantly. Many of the art forms of the ancient cultures had similarities and connections through their spiritual awareness and beliefs. I find it fascinating to see these forms faithfully recreated with a lucid perception.

wall art Spirit Figure - Dan Hawkins

‘Spirit Figure’ – Dan Hawkins

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” My early interest in fantasy subjects led to creating dragons and gargoyles. My love of nature and the outdoors prompted work on wildlife and other natural themes. Finally my ongoing personal interest in anthropology and comparative religion began years of exploration of early cultures and the origins of religion. This began with the always fascinating art of ancient Egypt and Precolumbian cultures. Finally leading to extensive work around nature religions – including Wiccan and the many Goddess mythologies that were ignored by many for far too long, but are flourishing again in the spiritual vacuum of the post-modern world. “ ” Ultimately my art serves as a tool of exploration – both of the natural world around us and the inner landscape of the heart and mind.

At its best, Art concerns itself with the deepest elements of human experience. Science, Art, and Religion all reach for the truth from different directions. The images of gods and goddesses give us a model for how to be healthy, compassionate, and strong human beings. The images of nature remind us of our inextricable connection with the natural world. Images from other cultures should help us always remember there is only one tribe – the human race – and that we must live together, or ultimately perish separately.  I hope as I share my work with others, that it serves to inspire them emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.”  –  D. Hawkins

ceramic wall panel - Daniel Hawkins

Ceramic Kosai Tiles – Daniel Hawkins

 

 

Ancient Goddess Artifact created by Dan Hawkins

ARTIFACT6 – Stoneware Cone 5 Shino and Luster glazes

Ancient Goddess Artifact

From the Neolithic and Bronze Ages into the first great civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Rome, and China – one vital religious theme was shared – a deep respect for the power of the feminine, symbolized by the Great Goddess – nurturer of the Earth, protectress of cities, source of life, Queen of both Heaven and the Underworld. Her names included: Hathor, Juno, Isis, Sedna, Demeter, Tara, Artemis, Ixcel, Innana, Ishtar, Menerva, Lakshimi, Aditi, Persephone, Bastet, Sekhemet, Coatlique, and many more.

 

 

Neo Olmec ceramic mask by Daniel Hawkins

Neo Olmec ceramic mask

 

 

Artifact 1 - Dan Hawkins wall art

Artifact 1

 

 

ancient huntress by Daniel Hawkins

Three Huntresses

The Australian aborigines represent the oldest intact cultures surviving on Earth today. For over 25,000 years they have maintained the same lifestyle, rituals, and systems of belief. Their unique art is found in the recesses of canyons and other sacred sites, recollections of the Dream Time – a time before the creation of the Earth, when the gods existed in another state. Australia Arnhem Land Circa 1,000 B.C.

Goddess Shrine by Daniel Hawkins

Goddess Shrine

 Turquoise and Pyrite cabachons – Agate inset

Stoneware Cone 05 – Raku fired  – 34 inches by 32 inches

Daniel Hawkins ceramic artifact

Artifact wall art

 

3 tribal masks - Daniel Hawkins

Wall mounted tribal masks

 

 

Daniel Hawkins Neo-Olmec Mask

Neo-Olmec Mask

Masks are an important part of ceremonial life – they make the supernatural world visible and bring it to life in dance dramas. Shaman masks depict the ability to change shape and the journey the shaman takes between worlds. Masks allow the wearer to become another being – spirit or animal – a symbol for transformation and change.

ceramic petroglyphs - Daniel Hawkins

Petroglyphs

Dan Hawkins ceramic wall art

 Daniel Hawkins Wall Art

 Artifact 10 wall sculpture

 Artifact 10

 

Hopi Anasazi Petroglyphs - Daniel Hawkins

Anasazi Petroglyphs

The Anasazi lived for centuries on the Colorado Plateau. Their culture vanished before the first Europeans set foot on this continent. Only through their cliff dwellings, pottery, and rock art do we learn of their hunting scenes and shaman figures which are found throughout the Southwest.  American Southwest 200 A.D.

 

 

Dan Hawkins wall mask

Mask 10 – Stoneware Cone 05 Raku fired

38 by 14 inches

 Turquoise cabachons – mixed feathers

 

Dan Hawkins - Ancient Goddess Artifact

Artifact 5

Ancient Goddess Artifact – Turquoise and Pyrite cabachons

±

Some of Dan’s functional wares :

Daniel Hawkins Fire Agate Pitcher

Fire Agate Pitcher

t

Ceramic tumbler by Daniel Hawkins

Drip glaze Tumbler

 

 

Daniel Hawkins Large organic platter

Large organic-platter

 

 

Ocean Jasper Vase by Dan Hawkins

Ocean Jasper Vase

ceramic beaker - Dan Hawkins

Ceramic drinking vessel

Ceramic platter and dipping bowl - Dan Hawkins

Platter and dipping bowl – Dan Hawkins

 

 

Opal platter - Dan Hawkins

Opal Serving Tray – Dan Hawkins

Anima sculptural wall art by Daniel Hawkins

Anima

Anima sculptural wall art by Daniel Hawkins

Hans

 

 

233px-314px-Daniel_Hawkins_bio photo_web.jpg

 Dan Hawkins website here

 

 

Sculpture in the Vineyards

 

Wollombi, in the state of  NSW, Australia, is already a home to many artists, writers and performers, and it provides fertile ground for the staging of the annual Sculpture in the Vineyards event. Set in the picturesque Wollombi Valley,  over 100 large-scale outdoor and site-specific works by local, regional and city-based artists are located in the 5 Wollombi vineyards. The 10th annual outdoor sculpture exhibition is the largest in Australia and features contemporary art in wonderful rural settings amidst the trees and vines of Millbrook Estate, Undercliff Winery, The Village Vineyard, Wollombi Wines and Stonehurst Cedar Creek winery. Unique local wines can also be sampled. The following sculptural art is from the current 2012 exhibition along with  other sculptures that were displayed in previous years along the Wollombi Valley Wine Trail.

Seed Form – Rae Bolotin    2012

” This work was inspired by tiny seeds I found on the edge of my studio in Wollemi National Park. “

Moon Flower – Ro Murray   2012

This sculpture is inspired by circular moon gates found in Chinese gardens.

Descending the Mountain  – Linda Bowden   2012

Totem – Col Henry 2012

Symbiosis –  Emilia Krumm

Harvest – Ro Murray   2012

These bundles represent sheaths of wheat, traditional symbols of plenty, prosperity and blessing.

Custodians – Nardka Williams   2012

Spun Out – Ella Szpindler, Pam Dunne

Shushi Fish – Will Coles

Seven Gods of  Good Fortune – From The Bottom of Memory

Akira Kamada :-

 

  ” through the traditional Shichi Fukujin Gods I pray for the people who suffered from the disasters of Japan, remembering the stars of the Northern Hemisphere that I looked at as a child. ” 2012


Curlique –  Gary Boote  2009

Unearthed – Stevie Croquette  2012

Emerging from their past to reveal their happy disposition, these works are inspired by the mysterious giant carved monoliths of the Moai on Easter Island.

Rhythms of the Wind – Scott Imgrams  20012

 

Who are we ? ( In between-ness ) – Kazuko Chalker  2012

Shadow Dancing – Suzanne Davey  2012

Shadow Dancing examines the tensions between the economic importance of the coal industry to the Hunter Region and nostalgia for its natural beauty.

Walking in your footsteps – Jesse Graham  20012

Fanciful – Linda Castle  2012

  Dandelion – Al Phemister

Flock – William Macquire  2011

Dancers in the Vineyards – Malcolm Fry  2009

Motherloade – Ben Denardi  2006

Millbrook Estate, Wollombi Valley

A contemporary sculpture leaning against an Australian gumtree  provides a poignant contrast.

une Autre Reflection – Janik Bouchette 2007

 

Giri – Christine Shoji  2011

 

   Manipura to Muladhara   – Ross Fletcher   2006

Boxers – Paul Dimmer 2007

Boxers captures the movement and beauty of two large male kangaroos in ritual competition.

Jimmy Rix – Greater Grater

Like so many, the artist has worked as a chef to support his career as a sculptor. The work pays homage to the restaurant industry for providing these opportunities.

Wooden Holden parked at Wollombi Village Vineyard

Antipodium Venus – Paul Dimmer 2008

Inspired by the well known Paleolithic figurine, the Venus de Willendorf, discovered in the early 1900’s and carbon dated as 28,000 years old. Paul’s work combines the formalism of the reproductive rites symbolised by this icon with the casual pose of sensuality. Uniting the sacred with the profane, it is both ritualistic and playful, injecting a contemporary sensibility into an historical artifact and the associated cultural meanings surrounding fertility.

 

The Timeless Clocktower  – 2012 Jiri Kirpac :-

On arrival  to Australia in 1969,  I spoke my first English sentence. which I learned on my journey over. I announced to the  to the Immigration Officer , ” Time and Tide waits for no Man ” – I am still following this quote !

Framed – Sue Roberts

Pierre the French Bulldog – Geoff Harvey ( best known for his whimsical depictions of dogs ) 2012

 Tenacity – Gary Boote  2009

Imdustrial – Dan Lovegrove  2009

This particular body of work is dealing with the figure and the idea that the incomplete figure can very much represent the whole.

Untitled – Miguel Olmo

Trio —  Dora Rögnvaldsdóttir  2009

 

For more information on this currently running event which goes till the 3rd of December 2012,  click on expand below. To exit,  press the esc key on your keypad.

 

 

 

Rosenfield Collection of ceramics

 

Louise Rosenfield is a passionate potter from Dallas, Texas who makes functional vessels for daily use, preferring porcelain ,which she decorates with patterns and fires in a wood kiln or paints with colour and fires in an electric kiln. She also has  another passion, which is collecting pottery, that she has pursued for several years with her husband David. This evolving collection, currently standing at 1891 pieces from 418 ceramic artists, is intended to represent a diversity of styles, textures and forms from a broad range of artists so as to serve as a valuable reference for budding ceramic creators and collectors alike.  The majority of this collection is from currently active ceramicists. The Rosenfield’s online archive and their documentation and sharing of this private collection is a fantastic gesture to the artistic community and admirers of ceramics.

 

 

Sam Clarkson

 

George Bowes

Michael Comey

Liz Lurie

Andy Brayman

Peter Beasecker

Kari Smith

Wheelthrown – Mid-Range Oxidation

Maria Spies

John Gill

Matthew Metz

Wheelthrown – high-fire salt

Curtis Stewardson :

Pieter Stockmans

Louise Rosenfield

Wheelthrown & altered – Mid-Range Oxidation

Daphne Hatcher

Rob Sutherland

Jerilyn Virden

Wheelthrown –High-Fire Reduction

Christa Assad

Lisa Orr

 

Monica Ripley

Firing: Mid-Range Oxidation

 

 

 

 

 See more of the Rosenfield Collection here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chawan, Yunomi and the Cha Dou

” In all things, whatever they are, the finish of every detail is not desirable: 

one that holds the attention is unfinished ” ( The Book of Tea – Kakuzo Okakura )

±

This statement really encapsulates the main concept of Wabi Sabi, which is essential in the creation of the ceremonial Chawan ( tea Bowl ). The deliberate adherence to an imperfected form during the making of the Chawan and its dedicated use in the ritual of the Japanese tea ceremony,  has been the most influential in the promotion of this concept in Japanese culture.

The ceramic objects reflect,  more than any other aspect in the tea ritual, the spirit of the Cha-Do (Way of Tea), based on the design aesthetic of Wabi Sabi .  Wabi  –  ( Wa: Harmony – Bi:  Beauty – “Beauty of Harmony” ).  Sabi – represents the beauty that can evolve with age. The changing of appearance with usage reflected impermanence, always a condition that was contemplated in the Zen philosophy.  Raku was chosen for the creation of the Chawan due to the inherent unpredictability in its production. Even a Pottery Master had to relinquish control and allow the alchemy of Nature, combined with  a humble servant, to determine the result. As the non symmetrical form was essential, the Chawan was always crafted by hand. The continual rotation of the bowl in the hand was believed to  enhance the spirit of the creator in the object. Also a simple shape was favoured to evoke a serene appearance.

Sen no Rikyu, the most renowned figure in the history of the Japanese tea ceremony, recognized the connection between Zen and the tea ceremony and synthesized many of the aesthetic elements of the tea ceremony in the 16th century.  Rikyu’s legacy has been long lasting, and his summation of the essential principles of the tea ceremony–wa-kei-sei-jaku (harmony, respect, purity and tranquility)–is a common inscription on scrolls decorating the chashitsu (tea room). From its refinement in the 16th century, the tea ceremony has become one of Japan’s most interesting and enduring artistic traditions. More than a ritual for preparing and drinking tea, the tea ceremony is a means to aesthetic appreciation and social interaction that has had a profound influence on Japanese art, architecture, gardens, cuisine and philosophy. All celebrated gardens in Japan were originally laid out by tea-masters.

What are the distinguishing features of a Chawan : 

 The main one is the curving  interior wall at the bottom. A functionality which is needed to allow the Chasen ( bamboo whisk ) to reach all the corners when mixing the matcha ( fine powdered green tea ). A smooth interior is preferable  so as not to damage the Chasen. As the Chawan has to be handled with one hand in the Chadou ( tea ceremony ), a bowl that is nicely balanced, isn’t too heavy, and has a foot that can be  easily gripped, is desirable.  A Chakin ( fine linen cloth ) is used to wipe the top edge of the Chawan, so this needs to be smooth, along with the comfort of drinking from a smooth surface. The Chawan is different than an everyday tea cup, known as a yunomi, which is generally used anytime for other kinds of teas such as sencha or bancha.

Chawan – Jay Michael Hines

Great Water Ceramics

Celedon Dot Tea Bowl – Marion Angelica

Satoshi Asano

Aki Katayama

Tea Cup – James Whiting

Adam Yungbluth

A Geisha serving tea at a Cha-Dou

Jun Akiyama

Jun Akiyama

Ceramic Tea Bowl – Ashley Howard

Gary Wood

Chawan – Jay Michael Haynes

Red and black Chawan

Ceramic Yunomi – Mark Griffiths

Tea Bowl – Margaret Curtis

Bamboo in Kyoto

Chawan

Jim Malone

Satoshi Asano

Mihara Ken

Mirviss Galleries

Matsui  Kôsei – ( 1927 – 2003 )

Maeda Masahiro

Nishihata Tadashi – Tamba ware

Teabowl – Jeff  Oestreich.

Tomonori Koyama

Swipe Yunomi – combed kaolin slip
copper glaze/salted

( sawdustanddirt.com )

Shino Chawan – Michael Coffee

Shigaraki Chawan

Ryoji Koie

Stoneware yunomi with chun glaze over tenmoku and copper red glaze decoration. – Peter Sparrey

Stoneware Copper Red – Peter Sparrey

( Studio Tea Bowls )

Jeff  Oestreich.

blunomi

Blunomi – black slip over white slip/wax resist,
salt glaze

( sawdustanddirt.com )
Porcelain yunomi in pink

Porcelain yunomi in pink mottled glaze

( Celadonsusan -Flickr )

Seagull cup 2 - Olia Lamar

Seagull cup 2 – Olia Lamar

Stoneware Teabowl Shino Glaze

Stoneware Teabowl Shino Glaze – Yolande Clark

tpotginkgo.blogspot

tpotginkgo.blogspot

Micah Sherrill cup

Micah Sherrill cup

Sarah Heimann

Sarah Heimann – carved and incised cup.

Mount Fuji Tea Fields

 
 
 
 
 

 

Demolition and buffalo karma in Chennai

 

Indian Art Deco delight meets its demise:

glorious-art deco hotel entrance

 

I jumped into the taxi at the Madras airport upon my arrival on my first trip to India and asked the driver to take me to a hotel that was clean and had a good reputation for traditional Indian food. After negotiating the Holy Chaos of the streets of Madras ( now Chennai ), the lumbering old Hindustan Ambassador taxi, modelled on a 1949 English Morris Oxford, didn’t look out of place when it pulled up in front of the Dasaprakash Hotel. I immediately labelled it Neo Grunge Hindu Art Deco after I discovered the 120 room hotel had a traditional Hindu temple in the middle of it, some wonderful examples of Deco furniture and architecture and a large statue of Krishna on the roof. I was also impressed by the delicious Masala Dosa’s they served in the dining room, which are fermented crepes filled with spicy vegetables and a paste of coconut and fresh coriander. They were also famous for their  ice creams. I tried one which had spearmint, chocolate, cardamom and saffron, a truly divine combination. The Dasaprakash was built in the 1930’s and unfortunately it was recently demolished to make way for a modern apartment complex. Needless to say, I think that’s a real shame.
Art Deco Indian hotel facade

Neon Dasaprakash Hotel

 

Hotel Dasaprakash Art Deco facade

Hotel Dasaprakash Art Deco Modern Cafe

Queen Elizabeth in a cadillac in India

Queen Elizabeth doing a drive-by at the Hotel Dasaprakash in a convertible Cadillac – 1961

 

 

 

Some surviving examples of  Indian Art Deco :

Bombay Art Deco wall relief

New India Assurance Building, Mumbai, India

 

Mumbai Art Deco Eros Cinema in yellow and maroon

Mumbai Art Deco Eros Cinema

 

 

Art Deco building statues in Mumbai

The New India Assurance Building, Mumbai, India

 

 

Goddess of Wealth Lakshmi statue perched on top of a clock tower

Goddess of Wealth Lakshmi perched on top of a Mumbai Art Deco clock tower.

Agiary Statue - Bombay

Agiary Statue – Bombay ( Mumbai )

 

 

 

The Law of Cause and Effect

 

Traversing the streets in India is always a challenge. On my first day in India I took a morning bus heading towards  Chennai central to seek out some local antiques and the road was teeming with people and traffic. The bus had only gone a few blocks when the driver slammed on the brakes, I heard a clunk then the driver stormed out of the bus. He began yelling at the driver of a buffalo drawn cart with large spoke-less wooden wheels, which had collided with the bus. The buffalo had run off and within minutes a large noisy crowd were milling around as the yelling continued. As the dispute dragged on, suddenly everyone was yelling as the buffalo was now running back through the crowd. It didn’t collide with anyone on the way except for the hapless bus driver, who was trampled, as it ran past the bus. He got up looking shaken and dishevelled and staggered over to a street cafe, where he  proceeded to have a cup of chai. Everyone had deserted the bus so I sauntered off thinking “welcome to the land of karma”.

 

water buffalo Indian street

A buffalo in Chennai

old building stone facade in Jaisalmer, India

Street texture in Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer old buliding with three windows with closed shutters

Jaisalmer

 

 

 

Clayart of India

male and female temple statues in Jaisalmer

Jain Temple Statues


clay figurine of a cow and a child

Indian clay figure

 

Indian pottery bazzar with deity staues and pots

Indian pottery shop

calcutta ceramic statue workshop

Calcutta pottery workshop

( 0range tuesday flickr )

Indian men dragging a female deity goddess thru the streets

Goddess procession

large ceramic water bowl in a courtyard

Large terracotta water bowl

monumental Shiva statue

Shiva, Lord of Transcendance at Murudeshwar Temple – Karnataka

At 123 feet it’s the worlds second tallest statue.

Khajuraho pottery throwing , Madhya Pradesh

Potter – Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh

 

 

Detailed Elephant sculpture - Hutheesing Jain Mandir, Ahmedabad.

Elephant sculpture – Hutheesing Jain Mandir, Ahmedabad.

( Subah G )

 

 

delhi-female-potter-wallah

A decorative pottery maker outside her shop in New Delhi

(  J.S.Jaimohan – flickr )

terracotta pot of man covered in snakes

Terracotta snake ware

Blue ware from Rajastan - bowl qith floral decoration

Blue ware from Rajastan

Contemporary Indian Sculpture - Double Helix - Ray Meeke

Contemporary Indian Sculpture – ‘Double Helix’ – Ray Meeke

 

 

Ray-Meeker ceramic sculpture

‘Ozymandias’  Ray Meeke – 2006

 

 

Ray Meeke contemporary sculpture called Conglomerate

‘Conglomerate’ – 2007

 

 

female Indian deity goddess statues

Indian Deities

 

Rajasthani women carrying pots

Rajasthani women carrying terracotta pots

detailed heen hand art in India

Henna tattoos – traditional hand painting

 

 

Intricately carved temple pillars at the Adinath Temple

Beautifully carved temple pillars at the Adinath Temple. This 15th century Jain temple complex is situated in Ranakpur.

( melissaenderle.blogspot )

 

 

Indian ceramic wall plaque of Ganesh, the elephant God

While in India I was gifted this antique Ganesh wall plaque. It is 13.7  inches in height and in excellent condition due to having a glass front.

Rajasthani woman

Rajasthani woman

Mosaic statues at the Chandigarh-rock-gardens

Rajasthani woman

Contemporary-Indian-Studio-pottery

Contemporary Indian Pottery Vessel

 

 

Goddess Durga adorned for the Navartri Festival

Goddess Durga adorned for the Navartri Festival

( Manumint )

Indian musicians riding camels

Indian brass band riding camels

terracotta statues at Kaki Village pottery

Kaki Village pottery

 

 

457px-306px-Indian Chai-shop.jpg

Indian Chai shop

 

bramhagiri-mountain trail

On the path of the crescent shaped holy Brahmagiri mountain.

( I took the above 2 images with a Canon F1 )

 

 

Parisian Street Markets

 

 

Art Deco jardinière Michelaud Limoges 1926

Art Deco jardinière Michelaud Limoges 1926

When I travel to different cities I usually prefer to wander around without much planning ahead or bothering with maps. It’s amazing what you can stumble upon when you allow your intuition to lead you. One of the best live music concerts I ever saw was a free performance of Indian classical music, discovered by chance while roaming around Madras. I also encountered several brilliant antique street markets in Paris by chance. I was continually astounded by the quality and diversity of the art and ceramics that were presented. The Paris flea markets originated in the 18th-century when chiffoniers or rag-and-bone men resold goods and clothing found in aristocrats’ rubbish bins, setting up just outside the gates of Paris to avoid fees and taxes incurred within city walls. Consequently, the main flea markets sit on the rim of the city close to the Boulevard Peripherique (ring road).

Paris - Saint Quen Flea Market

 Saint Quen Flea Market – Paris

 

A street market I didn’t discover by chance but hold in high regard and recommend is the Porte de Vanves in the south of Paris. This 300 stall market is accessible using the Metro Line 13 and is open from 7am to around 1.30pm. It caters for both amateur and professional sellers and is only open on weekends. This busy street market has anything from Art Deco pieces, Retro kitchen wares,vintage jewellery, antique pottery to Art Nouveau ceramics. Most vendors take cash only, so if you intend to splurge on some antiques, be wary of pickpockets and be prepared to bargain (dealers generally drop their prices by 15 – 20 % ). Nowadays I make the occasional foray to the markets but usually wander the online antique markets which is also a journey of intuitive desicions and below are some pieces I came across for French antique pottery.

Porte de Vanves street market

Porte de Vanves street market

Vanves Market stall

 Philippe Deshoulieres - French Lady and the Unicorn Plate

 Lady and the Unicorn Plate – Philippe Deshoulieres

Limoges cake box - France

Handpainted porcelian cake box

Limoges – France

French Art Deco twin handled vase

French Art Deco twin handled vase

Paris flea market

Paris Marche aux Puces

Quimper French Faience with decorative giraffe

Quimper French Faience  13 inch tall

Pierirefonds six sided urn vase

Pierirefonds six sided urn vase

Antique Sarreguemines plate

Antique Sarreguemines French plate

Longwy salt and pepper shakers

Longwy salt and pepper shakers

Meynes confit pot with a mustard glaze and unglazed 'Terre cuite"

Confit pot with a mustard glaze and unglazed ‘Terre cuite’

Meynes France

French Chinoiserie Vase

French Chinoiserie Vase

French Majolica Fruit Tall Cake Stand

Old Sarreguemines French Majolica Fruit Tall Cake Stand

French Art pottey vase c.1890

French Art pottery floral decorative vase   c.1890

 Majolica oyster plate, France

French Majolica oyster plate

French Aladin porcelain figurine

Aladin porcelain figurine

Majolica Water fountain and Jardiniere

French Antique Majolica Water fountain and Jardiniere

    Art Deco Vessel

Art Deco Vessel

Antique French Barbotine Art Plaque

Antique French Barbotine Art – seaside landscape ceramic tile.

19th century ceramic drip glaze basket.

French 19th century drip glaze basket.

Floral Turqouise Longwy bowl

Turqoise Longwy bowl

French Mustache cup & saucer

Mustache cup & saucer of Madame De Récamier 1800’s Scandalous Story

French-pottery bowl by Pastis-&-Co

Pastis & Co French pottery bowl and plate

Large Montigny sur Loing DX Pottery Poppy Charger

 Montigny sur Loing DX Pottery Poppy Charger handpainted by Charles Virion

Pâte-de-Verre Vase by Argy-Rousseau

French Art Deco Pâte-de-Verre Vase by Argy-Rousseau

( macklowe gallery )

Marche aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves

Marche aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves

Art Deco vase - Alpho

Art Deco vase – Alpho

Henri GANDAI French Faience vase

French Faience vase – Henri Gandai

Joseph Mougin Nancy French Art Nouveau bottle

Mougin Nancy French Art Nouveau vase

Long necked mustard cloisonne vase

Vintage long necked mustard cloisonne vase with traditional orchid motif.

Floor Vase Signed C F France

Large Antique Drip Glaze Art Pottery Floor Vase Signed C F France

Art Deco majolica cup and saucer

Art Deco majolica cup and saucer

 

 

Pottery Groove

 

This is not about grooves carved in pottery. It’s about pottery in the groove (of the funky type). Pieces that look animated by virtue of their shape, form, lines and colours. I have  performed music live from the funk genre, so I always get inspired when I see pottery and art that expresses some movement and motion. I’ve included a slideshow with a funky little tune from Donald Fagen just to enhance the style.

Salt & Pepper Shakers – Rosenthal studio line

 

 

Tiny Giant – ceramic vessel – by Connie Norman

Jacqui Atkin

Yoshitaka Hasu

Painting of African woman holding a pot

Blue Croon  –  Tina Vlassopulos

Hornsea Pisces Vase

African dancer paintingAbstract silhouette cubist dancer

 

 

Jane-McDonald---Ribbed-Vessel-with-yellow-pearls,-raku-fired-ceramics

Raku vase with groovy ribs and inlaid yellow pearls – Jane McDonald

Sun Goddess dancing figure

Another View - Dotscape painting - Raysto, UK

Another View – Dotscape – Raysto, UK

Raysto, flickr

Racing Flame teapot

( Julies Atelier – etsy )

David and Sherry Hoffman

Tribal dancing

blackartdepot.com

Venus Rising – Michael Vaynman ( Bronze )

Infinity Dancer

blackartdepot.com

Colima dancing figure

Dance, among the most ephemeral of the arts, was central to Mesoamerican civilization. Dance performances, as attested by their depiction on vases and other utilitarian objects such as this whistle above, typically encompassed rhythmic, structured movement, often by a group of people. Music was a vital element, frequently supplied by the dancers themselves. Performances served to bring together the community by reifying shared beliefs of social behavior, recounting seminal histories-both historical and mythic-and incarnating religious ideologies. As communal theater, performers were bedecked in ostentatious costumes that served to remove them from their social identities and the everyday reality of the community. The elaborate costuming and staging also elevated the event from a simple entertainment to an impressive, even iconic spectacle.

Yeonsoo Cho korean artist

Poet – Yeonsoo Cho – Director, Korea Clay Art Therapy Center

 

 

Mario-Dal-Fabbro abstract sculpture

Mario Dal Fabbro sculpture

 

North Dynasty dance figurine, long-sleeved gown – China

Mata Ortiz

Art Deco figure

Boris Lovet Lorski

Ai Hanazuka

 

 

Angkor-Wat Vishnu churning the sea of milk wall relief

Angkor Wat – Wall relief of Vishnu churning the sea of milk

Cambodia

 

 

Outdoor ceramic sculpture -by-Alan-Foxley--

Ceramic sculpture  –  Alan Foxley

 

 

White-ceramic Winged_Bowl-Monica-Rudquist

‘Winged Bowl’ – Monica Rudquist

 

 

Ming Gates – Fong Choo

Mihara Ken

Frank Morrison

Jaridaire – Carol Long

African dancer in gold highlight gownAfrican raised hands dancer

 

Pit-fired coil pots with gold leaf inspired by the volcanic forms of Hawaii, by Kay Lynne Sattler

Sandy Terry

Ute Grossman

Mid-Century Vase by Peter Muller for Sgrafo, 1950s

Porcelain ewer – Sam Chung  2009

François-Rupert-Carabin. ( 1862-1932 )

 

 

Natalya-Sots-ceramic-tea-cup

Natalya Sots

Flamenco dancer sculpture in a brown glazed ceramicVintage female flamenco dancer figurine

 

Molded earthenware jar, abstract ovoid shaped – Aveiro 1955

Suzi Carvalho

Nathalie Andrieu dancing figurine

Nathalie Andrieu dancing figurine

 

 

vintage,-ceramic-sculpture-by-Vittoria-Valmaggia

Vintage wall plate by Vittoria Valmaggia

Susan Filley Porcelain vase

Susan Filley Porcelain vase

-473x473

Xian Tianyi

Anne Anderson

Anne Anderson

Edouard Cazaux

Edouard Cazaux spherical vase, France

Glenda Kronke -- Blue colour

Glenda Kronke — Blue colour vessel

MAYODON Jean

Jean Mayadon – craquelure vase with dancing figures

 

 

Funky “Springtime” by Donald Fagen

 

 

 

Journey of the Rubens vase

 

I’ve never really thought that much about the possible depth of history of the various owners of an art piece before their current destination. This particular piece carries a fascinating history as I discovered on Wikipedia.

 

 

Carved in high relief from a single piece of agate, this extraordinary vase was most likely created in an imperial workshop for a Byzantine emperor. It made its way to France, probably carried off as treasure after the Siege of Constantinople in 1204 during the Fourth Crusade, where it passed through the hands of some of the most renowned collectors of western Europe, including the Dukes of Anjou and King Charles V of France. In 1619, the vase was purchased by the great Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). A drawing that he made of it is now in Saint Petersburg, State Hermitage Museum.

 

Peter Paul Rubens – self portrait

Acquisition history :

  • Foire Saint Germain Sale, Paris, 1619
  • Peter Paul Rubens, Antwerp, 1619, by purchase
  • Daniel Fourment, Antwerp, ca. 1626-1628, by purchase
  • Emperor Jahangir of India [date of acquisition unknown], by consignment
  • Dutch East India Company, prior to 1635, by confiscation
  • Holland, 1818
  • William Beckford, Fonthill Abbey, Wiltshire, 1818, by purchase
  • Sale, English & Fasana, Bath, November 20, 1845, no. 167
  • Alexander Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton, London, 1845, by purchase
  • William A. A. Hamilton, 11th Duke of Hamilton, 1852, by inheritance
  • William A. L. S. Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Duke of Hamilton, 1863, by inheritance
  • Sale, Christie’s, London, June 17, 1882, no. 487
  • Samson Wertheimer, London, 1882, by purchase
  • Sale, Christie’s, London, March 15, 1892
  • Alfred Morrison, London, 1892, by purchase
  • Sale, Christie’s, London, June 12, 1899
  • Sir Francis Cook, Richmond, 1899, by purchase
  • Wyndham F. Cook, London, 1901, by inheritance
  • Humphrey W. Cook, London, 1905, by inheritance
  • Sale, London, Christie’s, July 14, 1925, no. 90
  • Henry Walters, New York, 1925, by purchase
  • Sadie Jones (Mrs. Henry Walters), New York, 1931, by inheritance
  • Sale, Parke-Bernet, New York, May 2, 1941, no. 1316
  • Walters Art Museum, 1941, by purchase

 

 

rubens-a-peasant-dance- peasants dancing in a circle

‘A Peasant Dance’ – Rubens

( Click to enlarge )

 

 

Figurines of intrigue

figurines of intrigue

Ceramic Figurines  :

Imaginative and captivating figurines and the occasional sculpture, posted at irregular intervals .

 

Latest entry HERE

Altes Museum---Berlin,Germany egyptian bust

Egyptiam bust _ Altes Museum—Berlin,Germany

Three Kings figurines

Three Kings figurines

( forrestinavintage-etsy )

Art Deco Royal Dux Figurine nude female

Art Deco Royal Dux Figurine

Emilio Cassarotto figurine of an ebony skin lady bathing in a bathtub

Lady In A Tub – Emilio Cassarotto figurine, Italy

nazca pottery figurine

Nazca Pottery Figure

 

Nick Mackman

Nick  Mackman

 

Bruce Lafountain - Native Indian Woman carved from white marble

Bruce Lafountain – Native Woman

Paige-Bradley dancing couple sculpture

Paige Bradley bronze sculpture

Garden Mother by mudmonkey

Garden Mother by mudmonkey

( deviantart )

Alex Johanson abstract sculptures

Alex Johanson – France

 

Natalia at Happydolls - blue angel figurine

Natalia at Happydolls, Flickr

Elizabeth Rollins Scott Guardian Angel

Elizabeth Rollins Scott  – ‘Guardian Angel I’

UK

L'Eté et l'Automne two putti sculpture

L’Eté et l’Automne

Flapper bust sculpture

Art Deco bust figurine

Katherine Gullo Ceramic figurine

Janus-figure with Rabbit (back), Mosaic, 15″

Katherine Gullo Ceramics

Bronze Muscle Man lifting a weight

Bronze-Sculpture of an Asian muscle man signed Wu Yao Kui.

( Objex.com )

MADDUX OF CALIFORNIA ceramic Siamese cat lamp

MADDUX OF CALIFORNIA ceramic Siamese cat lamp – 1950’s

 

La Valse [The Waltz], 1889-1905, bronze

La Valse [The Waltz], 1889-1905, bronze – Camille Claudel

Rodin Museum

Ceramic Garden Monks, Te Aria Nui

Ceramic Garden Monks, Te Aria Nui

Alphabet People - Akio Takamori female sculpture

Alphabet People – Akio Takamori

Godiva and unicorn figurine by Paul Smith

Godiva and unicorn by Paul Smith

Margaret Wozniak ceramic bear holding a green bowl sculpture

Bear with Bowl – Margaret Wozniak

 

 

Bunjil gets the bounce ! Bunjil the Eagle has been towering over the Melbourne Docklands precinct for over as decade. The news that Bunjil will need to move came as a surprise to its creator, Melbourne sculptor Bruce Armstrong. He learnt of the eviction after a call from Fairfax Media. The eagle sculpture, a Docklands landmark since 2002, was inspired by Bunjil, the eaglehawk regarded as the spirit creator of the Kulin nations, which include the Wurundjeri people. The 25 metre high sculpture weighs 25 tonne and the base weighs 60 tonne. Maybe it was prophetic that Benjil has a slightly bewildered look.

473px-286px-No-room-for-Bunjil-in-Docklands -

Bunjil the eagle

( photo: Fairfax Media )

Carry Bakker Rinkens Allure ceramic sculpture

Carry Bakker Rinkens – Allure

Rebecka Ryberg Skött.

‘Do You Remember’ – Rebecka Ryberg Skött.

Auguste Rodin, Piédestal des Titans - France

Auguste Rodin –  ‘Piédestal des Titans’ 

Rodin Museum, Paris

Pair Chinese Tang red, green and whiteporcelain horses

Pair Chinese Tang porcelain horses

Chinese porcelain wise man figurine

Chinese porcelain wise man figurine – 3 feet tall

( Canonbury Antiques )

Shin Yeon Jeon sculpture bust

Shin Yeon Jeon

Anne Meyer Mama Moon - sculpture of a woman

Anne Meyer-  ‘Mama Moon’

Tracy Gallup Balance - child on a sphere

‘Balance’  – Tracy Gallup

Zsolnay Art Nouveau vase lustre glaze

Zsolnay Art Nouveau figurine vase

Michelle MacKenzie green horse and birds figurine

Michelle MacKenzie  – Horse Dusty Miller

Ceramic horse sculpture with birds and copper mane and tail

Underneath the old apple tree ceramic sculpture by Helen Martino

Underneath the old apple tree  – Helen Martino

Marina Skidan ceramic angel figure

Marina Skidan

Bronze Guardians by Shona Nunan

‘Guardians’ by Shona Nunan

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Jun Kaneko

 

Jun Kaneko, ceramic sculptural artist.

 

 

Two dango sculptures by Jun kaneko

Jun Kaneko, 2012

 

 

Jun Kaneko was born in Nagoya, Japan in 1942 and went to the USA in 1963. He began studying ceramic art at the Chouinard Institute of Art in California where his focus became drawn to sculptural ceramics. He expanded his studies  in contemporary ceramics with Peter Voulkos in Los Angeles and also Paul Soldner and Jerry Rothman. He has since pursued a dynamic and varied studio practice in painting, sculpture, ceramics and installations, and he’s currently based at his third studio in Omaha, Nebraska. Jun has blazed a trail in ceramic innovation with his pioneering work in the creation of tall and rounded, monolithic glazed structures known as dangos ( Japanese translation – dumplings or rounded form ). This has required the redefining of technical and artistic boundaries as his sculptures are of a size that is challenging in the firing process and for the structural integrity of this type of ceramic form. Some sculptures can weigh in the vicinity of 1000 lbs.  After construction, his work generally takes four months of drying time and can have up to a 37-day firing process. Even larger than his dangos are his human head ceramic sculptures, three of which were on view in 2008 on New York City’s Park Avenue Malls. Kaneko’s work is engaged in serious explorations of order and disorder, simplicity and complexity and deliberate action and spontaneity.

jun kaneko photo portrait

Kanekos’s professor at the University Of California , Peter Voulkos, stated :  “Kaneko’s ceramic works are an amazing synthesis of painting and sculpture. His works are enigmatic and elusive, simultaneously restrained and powerful, Eastern and Western, static and alive, intellectual and playful, technical and innovative”

Kaneko’s exceptional artistic accomplishments in public art, set design, and architectural projects have led to his work  now being displayed in over fifty museum collections throughout the world including Arabia Museum, Helsinki, Finland; Detroit Institute of Arts; Los Angeles County Art Museum; Museum of Art and Design, NY; The National Museum of Art, Osaka, Japan; Philadelphia Museum of Art; Phoenix Art Museum and Smithsonian American Art Museum.

I think it is truly fantastic to see ceramic sculptures successfully manifested on this scale.

 

 

 

Dango sculpture with a geometric surface pattern - Jun kaneko

Dango ceramic – 2011

  ( Elaine Baker gallery )

3 dango's by Jun kaneko

Locks Gallery

Philadelphia

un kaneko sculpture

Jun Kaneko

 

 

Dango sculpture installation - Jun Kaneko

Mission Clay Pittsburgh Project

Jun kaneko dango sculpture with a geometric striped pattern

Locks Gallery

Philadelphia

Jun kaneko dango installation

This photo exemplifies the bold rhythmic patterns Jun likes to use on the surface decoration of his giant ” 3d canvases “

Monumental Dango sculpture Jun kaneko

Mint Museum – North Carolina

 

Kaneko on the spatial conceptualization of his work ( interview with Mary Mcinnes)

 

So when I’m making small piece, I don’t want to give a chance to the viewer to step back and then look around and look at my piece. I just want them to just grab right into it. They look at it. They’re drawn to it. Just go straight into the piece. If that was possible, this viewer is not outside the work anymore. They’re feeling inside the work. Therefore, they can’t compare this and that. They are it.
So that’s why I think, if I did make a small piece to draw people immediately into the piece, I call that a pretty successful piece for me as a small object. And then, I call that a spiritual scale. So that’s my interest. And it goes same way to the large-scale piece, too, in a lot of ways, because as I said, if you start comparing with nature, then the big piece could be just like a dust. So the point to the scale, to make a sense as a visual artist, is just pull them into it. Then, they just don’t have a chance to compare. They will become the thing itself almost.

 

void dish by Jun Kaneko

Oval galzed ceramic plate – Jun Kaneko

Dango with a spiral swirl motif - Jun kaneko

 

 

 

Striped head ny Jun Kaneko

Kaneko ceramic head – Maui Hawaii

huge sculpture head by Jun kaneko

Philadelphia City Hall – 2009

Geometric patterned dango by Jun Kaneko

Stoneware glazed triangle Dango -2005

‘Spotty’ Dango sculpture – Jun Kaneko

Monumental striped heads by Jum Kameko at Palm Beach

Monumental heads –  Palm Beach County Convention Center.

( Pic by Lauren Lieberman/Lila Photo )Jun kaneko sculptural ceramic art

Jun Kaneko 1991

Locks Gallery

Dango sculpture in blues by Jun Kaneko

Jun Kaneko

Jun Kaneko at the set design for Puccini's Madam Butterfly

Jun’s set design for Puccini’s Madam Butterfly

Dango public sculpture by Jun Kaneko

Public Dango art at Omaha

Jun Kaneko abstract panel, black on white

Untitled wall slab – Jun Kaneko

Monumental head sculpture in black and white by Jun Kaneko

Ceramic head sculpture – Philadelphia City Hall – 2009

Jun Kaneko Dango sculpture in black and white

Untitled, Dango
2009

oval plate by Jun Kaneko - abstract geometric decoration

Oval Dish

huge head with a spiral patterned face - Jum Kameko

Joslyn Art Museum Sculpture – Jun Kaneko

 

 

Kaneko Omaha dango sculpture

Public Dango ceramic art – Omaha

 

 

Dango sculpture with stripes and dots - Jun Kaneko

Jun Kaneko

public dango sculpture by Jun Kaneko

The Nevica Project

Jun Kaneko sculpture 2007

Jun Kaneko

Jun Kaneko monumental sculpture in black and greys

Untitled, 2007   Glazed stoneware. Courtesy of Jun Kaneko and Locks Gallery. Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Contemporary sculpture by Jum Kaneko

Untitled, Dango
2011

dango exhibition - Jun kaneko

Washington State University, 2001
Hand-built glazed ceramics, granite sculpture

large striped dango ceramic sculpture by Jun Kaneko

Ceramic Dango sculpture – San Francisco International airport

Jun kaneko violet sculpture

 Hand-built glazed ceramic – Inakigu Restaurant, 2010

Jun Kaneko working in his studio
Pittsburg Project
Mission Clay, Pittsburg Project, 2004-2007

dango sculpture by Jun kaneko

Jun Kaneko Dango Sculpture  2012

Locks Gallery

monumental-head-sculpture-kaneko

Pittsburg Project, USA

Kaneko on Park Avenue Installation

Here is the link to Jun Janeko’s website