Field Note · Form
A family of forms
How the curves of a water jar find their way into vases, lidded jars and cups.

I begin with sketches and ideas. One shape I return to is the water jar, familiar from looking at ceramics and travelling through India and parts of Africa. It is an everyday vessel for something essential: water.
What interests me is how that shape can change according to what it holds. A water jar becomes a vase, then a lidded jar, and starts to inform the shape of a cup. The pieces develop together rather than beginning again each time.
The family resemblance is in the foot, body and crown: a small foot, a curve outwards, a concave turn inwards and a sharp edge. Those relationships can carry across different sizes and uses.
I look for elegance in geometry and proportion, while letting the clay and the making show.
← Back to Field Notes