A perfect vase for fresh flowers, or, as a standalone statement piece. The Egg Vase is a classic and popular shape from Ben Owen III and his family. This form is heavily influenced by the Mei Peng style vases made early in Chinese clay culture. The shape creates an elegant understatement for allowing the special effects microcrystalline glaze to be of focus. Measuring 6“w x 8.25“h.
Please Note: What appears to be white spots on the surface are reflections from photo lighting.
Teadust is a glaze that Chinese potters created while accidentally over-firing earthenware red pots and melting the clay into a puddle. With experimentation, these potters eventually developed glazes from testing these ingredients to produce a black glaze. Today, Ben has developed his own versions of a black glaze with the addition of iron, calcium, and magnesium oxide. While researching about slow cooling processes after the firing in the wood kiln, he found small proxyene crystals would form on his pots that had a mustard yellow to green color. A satin to matte finish is created from the crystals on the surface. If it is allowed to cool quickly the finish will be a solid glossy black. If it was placed in a salt-firing atmosphere it would be olive green (Frogskin).
This piece is hand-signed by Ben Owen III with year made (2014).