Joy Tanner
Maker/Collector Statement
Banana Split Dish
This piece was the kind of form that came together effortlessly on its own. The altered shape, added foot, cut rim, and peaks onto the rim are all complemented by the carving. When it came out of the wood and soda kiln, I knew I had to keep it for myself to learn from. Sometimes these "keepers" are the best pots out of a firing, and I know no one would see it the way I do. Studying these keepers helps me evaluate what is successful or not, which leads me back into the studio to make the next one better.
Tea Bowl
I have fired my work in a soda kiln ever since I started making pots. So it was natural for me to be influenced by Jeff Oestreich's soda fired pots. His wheel thrown pots are strong in form, with careful attention to the details of the rim, foot, and surface texture. His use of pattern and the way he divides space on the pots through contrasts of glaze and bare clay are a similar aesthetic to my own. I got this bowl at an NCECA conference one year, and it's one of my favorite pieces I own.