Owen Rye
Artist Statement
These three pots came from the latest firing of my anagama kiln with myself, Chester Nealie and Peter Pilven as the firing team, and my wife Barbara and son Michael helping. The larger pot has a felspar glaze applied and was then fired on its side resting on some scallop shells as a ‘separating agent’. The other two pots were fired near each other, also resting on their side on shells. In all three cases melted ash from wood stoked over the pots has run around the sides. The ash is typical of the blackwood that was used in the firing.
The two similar pots reflect my making technique which involves making a ‘family’ of similar forms, rather than making repetition work in a production sense. So very rarely are two pots alike, everything is a one-off. I am happy when each piece has a distinctly individual quality. Anyone who wants a set should go to Ikea.
I am not very enthusiastic about symmetry, so all details of making are aimed at achieving an irregular quality that might be described as casual, or accepting, or organic and naturalistic. In reality when making this work, or to some extent when firing, I don’t really care to analyse and direct, but as much as possible just let it happen. Working with vessel forms creates a tension between the man-made and the organic or natural which appeals to me and which is missing in more abstracted forms. The best results have a feel of inevitability, when there is no other way it could be. This happens rarely.
As a general comment I warmly respond to Japanese concepts of imperfection in ceramics, which most people have heard about; although my work has no relationship to any specific Japanese practice. In making the work I tend more to be aware of Islamic concepts of the imperfections of man – which most people have not heard about. I have looked closely at Islamic making and glazing techniques and can see where these appear in the work.
April 2006
International Representation
Art Center Collection, Astoria Oregon USA
Arrowmont Permanent Collection, Tennessee, USA
Handwerkskammer Koblenz, Germany
Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah, USA
Tajimi City Collection, Mino, Japan
World Ceramic Foundation Exposition, Icheon, R. of Korea
National Representation
Powerhouse Museum (NSW) Art Gallery of Western Australia
Queensland Art Gallery Museum & Art Gallery of the N.T.
Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery
Bottle
(370 x165 mm)
Wood-fired on shells with natural ash glaze.
 Bottle
(410 x 165 mm)
Wood-fired on shells with natural ash glaze.
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