Ceramics and Pottery Arts and Resources

 

 

Lion statue –  Cardiff Castle

 

Art pieces that stimulate conversation 

 

Art is acquired for all sorts of reasons: investment, heirlooms, decorative, functional and even as a conversational piece. After recently noticing a piece on an auction site being promoted as a conversation piece, I started seeing art pieces from this perspective and it threw up numerous scenarios. As a conversation ‘circuit breaker’ the merit of having alluring decorative art objects strategically placed around a room is obvious, but also can be a godsend if you need a discreet deflection, when you find yourself in one of those awkward silences. Which is more mortifying?  —  being a crashing bore about your art or confronting a deafening silence. Hopefully with astute buying, your guest will be absolutely enthralled with your taste and refined aesthetic and if they are genuine art lovers, it is a failsafe course of action and a possible trigger for an animated discussion about the joys of collecting.

 

 

Large Alhambra floor vase -signed F. Jose MF Martinez

circa. 1900

In the context of ‘convo rescue’ art, having pieces that have intriguing provenance and background stories in their history is a bonus. For example, with a Bernard Palissy charger, attention can be drawn to the fact he had to burn his families furniture to fuel his kiln, when he was trying to imitate Chinese porcelain. Or say an Edmond Lachenal vase, who gave his studio to his wife and son Raoul, when he abandoned ceramics to take up acting, when he was having an affair with Sarah Bernhardt. For tactile attraction, the silky glaze of a Rose Cabat “feelie” sculptural vessel could stimulate sensual interest.
Pieces with a rich history or from unique design eras, like a Hispano Moresque Alhambra floor vase or an Italian Futurismo lamp, would support a good conversation. It helps to really like the piece you acquire, so you can sound genuine when heap it with praise. Try to avoid sounding too pretentious about how good you think your choice is and there’s no need to go on about how much it cost, unless it was an absolute steal. Sometimes a back up piece might be needed, something more quirky and amusing or even erotic, if the guest had little interest in art, to cover all bases.

Here are some ideas for some ‘convo rescue’ decorative objects and other art beyond any conversation. I also included some images of some mid-century and modern  ‘conversation pits’, an appealing architectural concept that peaked in the 70’s, The cosy sunken seating could be re-embraced to encourage social discourse. Can I invite you into the ‘Pool Of Thought’, to discuss this further.

 

Conversation pit rejuvenation 

 

– raising the sunken living spaces back into design contention.

 

” Talking in circles roundabout”   Mid-Century sunken seating conversation pit

 

Spencer Peterson (curbed.com) flagged the idea of rebranding the ‘conversation pit’ with more appealing names such as ‘communiqué nest’, ‘groupthink decline’, ‘dialogue dip’ or ‘discussion crater’ to revitalize design interest in this innovative Mid-Century architectural feature. Here are some  more suggestions :-

 

 

Outdoor sunken seating ‘Island Chat Basin’ living space

Photo John Coolidge

 

 

‘Pool of Thought’  conversation pit located in outdoor pool by Franco A. Pasquale Design Associates

 

 

 

Sunken living area— ‘Talkfest Nest’ – Javier Senosiain Nautilus House, Mexico

– social life flows inside the Nautilus without any division, a harmonic area in three dimensions where you can notice the continuous dynamic of the fourth dimension when moving in spirals over the stairs with a feeling of floating over the vegetation. – worldarchitecturenews.com

 .…. the guests would be so gobsmacked by the audacious style they would be speechless for at least 15 minutes.

 

 

Mid-century decor ‘Convo Cavern’

 

 

‘Abstract Zone of Discourse’

From 1976 Norma Skurka NY Times Times on Interior Design

retro-space on Flickr

 

 

‘Head Read Retreat’

Miller home 1957 – Mid-Century modern home designed by Eero Saarinen and located in Columbus, Indiana

 

 

 

‘Candour Corner’

70’s modernist interior

Some claim the 70’s was the ‘decade that taste forgot’. For boldness and individuality of expression, it really was an exceptional decade that still has an influence on current designers.

 

 

 

Paisley garden ‘Babbling Gabby Alcove’ designed by Ben Hoyle, NZ

 

 

 

‘Fish Bowl Ear Bender’

Jasper Conran’s house

 

 

‘Sunken Portal of Intimate Depth’

60’s design by architect Roger Hirsch

 

 

‘Rave On Recess’

Interior decor – Marcelo Rosenbaum

 

 

‘Heated Diatribe Soaker’ – heated outdoor pool

 

 

70’s ‘Philosophers Stone Circle’

 

 

‘The Curvaceous Converso’

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Décor objects for ‘convo rescue’ 

 

 

 Mexican bird headed whistle

8th to 9th century

 

 

 

 Giant sculptural vessel wrapped in Matisse-inspired illustration – Rudy Autio

 

 

 

 ‘Two Toucans’ – Anita Reay – AUS

 

 

 

  Ceramic vase with natural wood appearance – Ankhworks Pottery

 

 

‘Conversation Piece’  by Juan Munoz at the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden

 

 

 

 Art Nouveau vase by Paul Dachsel for Ernst Wahliss

 

 

 

Lone Borgen and Stephen Parry, UK

 

 

 Raku bird by sculpteur céramiste animalier – Catherine Chaillou

www.catherinechaillou.com/

 

 

 

 Michel di Nunzio

 

 

 ‘Danaides’  vase – Rene Lalique

 

 

 

 Loetz glass vase, 1901

Kunsthandel Kolhammer, Vienna, 1stdibs

 

 

 

Murano Vase –  Dino Martens for Aureliano Toso

 

 

 

 Surreal sgraffito vase – Laura Jean Mclaughlin ?

1stDibs – Drake, NY

 

 

 

Sitting meditation Buddhist Monk ceramic figurative sculpture

jillatay – etsy

 

 

 ‘Flames of Love’– Limited Edition Collector Plate – Erte

 

 

 

 Raku wine cooler – africaandbeyond.com

 

 

 

 ‘Bob’s Your Uncle & Fanny’s Your Aunt’  – cat and dog sculpture by Govinder Nazran

 

 

 

‘Grijze Raku’ –  Marika Baumler, France

height – 30 cm

 

 John Maltby abstract sculpture

 

 

 Ceramic wall panel – by Léger Fernand

 

 

 XIX – Lidya Buzio

 

 

 

 

 ‘Restricted Zone ‘- handbuilt, coil constructed, soda fired stoneware vessel

Melanie Ferguson

 

 

 ‘After Fire’ – Jeff Mincham

 

 

 

Orange glass Art Deco vase – Daum, Nancy and Louis Majorelle

 

 

 

 

Contemporary vase by Michael Köhler – 1982

Dana John LA – 1stDibs

 

 

 

 Plate with painted geometric designs – Myrton Purkiss

 

 

 

 Raku GAUTENG Éléphant – Divart, France

 

 

 

Metamorphose I (Personnage feminin) – Pablo Picasso

1928

 

 

 Porcelain vase, Adelaide Alsop Robineau

 

 

 Australian artist Derek Jungarrayi Thompson with monumental ceramic vessel

Ernabella

 

 

 Primavera White, Brown and Black Glaze Vase, 1930

Gary Rubinstein Antiques

 

 

 Raku  ‘Garden Sprite II’  – Wall Hanging by Leslie Ahrens

 

 

 

 Raku spherical bottle by Andrzej Chybowski-Warsaw, Poland

 

 

 

 Massive glazed ceramic vessel with sgraffito decoration, “Menage a Trois,” Los Angeles, CA, 1989

height 30 inches – Richard Duffey

liveauctioneers

 

 

 

 Inna Rogova ceramic sculpture

 

 

 

Sergei Isupov Ferrin – Contemporary figurine

 

 

 

 Ron Meyers

 

 

 

 Rose Cabat bulbous shaped ‘feelie’ vessels

 

 

 

 Stephen Bird vase – handpainted with Australian outback landscape

 

 

 

 ‘That way madness lies’ by John Morris

 

 

 

 

André Aleth MASSON ceramic lamp – height 30 inches

 Thomas Fritsch

 

 

 ‘Pope Joey No.2′  – Exiles From Lower Utopia series

Tricia Cline

 

 

 

 ‘Up on the Roof’ by Merry Arttoones

Vase and incense burner

 Obsidian Gallery in Tucson, Arizona

 

 

 

 ‘Burr Owls’ –  Laurie Shaman

 

 

 

 William De Morgan bowl —–inspired by the brilliant colours of Islamic pottery, especially the bright Iznik turquoise

 

 

 

 Moorcroft Flambe koi vase

 

 

 

 Wu Tong

 

 

 

photo – Gian Paolo Barbieri – 1979

 

 

‘Conversation Starter’  – Beth Tarkington

 

 

 

‘Totem with snake’ by Ernst Neizvestny

artnet galleries

 

 

 

Maiden in pink dress Art Nouveau female figure vase

 

 

 

Ceramic sculpture by San Francisco based artist Calvin Ma

 

” My work draws inspiration from the toys and action figures I had growing up. As an introverted and socially awkward kid, the plastic heroes, villains and their vehicles helped me cope with my inability to socialize. They served as an escape for me and soon became a passion. Now, as an introverted and socially awkward adult, I create artwork that reflects on the struggles I have with social anxiety. Those toys have become a visual reference in my work and in a way, still help me cope. ‘Homebodies: Recollective’ is a continuation of the series I’ve been working on, but incorporates pop culture related vehicles. Movies and cartoons were also welcome distractions growing up, so I thought it would be interesting to pair more recognizable elements with my work.” – Calvin Ma

 

 

 

‘Belly Dancer Vessel’ – KLM ceramics

Artsy Home

 

 

Antique golden glass snuff bottle, China

 

 

 

‘Face éventail—Odile Frachet

2009

 

 

‘Il mio dilemma quotidiano’, Terri Kern

ψ

 

 

 

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