Well today just happens to be the perfect day for posting some gorgeous pots with flowers and botanical themes, as where I live we’re in the midst of an early deep freeze which is making most of us contemplate moving to warmer climate (any one got a job for me??? anyone???) My thanks to Carol for at least warming up my computer screen! Enjoy her beautiful work and words:
“I’m Carol Barclay, from Rochester, NY, and I’ve been playing in the mud for almost 30 years! My studio overlooks my large perennial and annual garden, and the botanical influence is strong in my work.I see my porcelain forms as freezing a moment of fluidity. Each hand-built piece involves rolling out thin sheets of porcelain, coaxing the clay into shape, and tending the work through weeks of careful drying, burnishing, and carving. The last steps of glazing and firing in an electric kiln finally yield the finished piece.
I’m often asked about my fascination with making functional porcelain. I think that a handmade pot is a most satisfying possession. It can make any meal a celebration, as one savors the shape, the glaze and the decoration that make each piece unique and personally pleasing. I myself have an extensive collection of pottery and I select with care when I pick a vessel for my cereal, or salad, or soup. I enjoy the connection to the potter and the opportunity to add beauty to my daily routine.
I have two websites: http://www.BarclayStudios.com (where my husband, a photographer: my daughter, a playwright: and my son-in-law, a novelist also have sites)
What stunning forms! Thank you for sharing your work with us, Carol. I love how your forms echo and support the flowers, and remind us of spring…
Carol – I love your work. Your choice of colors are, well, yummy. And I love the forms. They make me want to caress them. Thank you for sharing.