Vase 1895 - 1921

This vase, by William J. Walley, it's giving me the feeling of a spring day in the forest, it's made with ceramic. What strikes me here is the texture, this really luscious olive green. The glaze, it’s pooling in some areas, revealing a darker tone beneath, while in others, it’s thin and almost transparent. It reminds me of how paint behaves, each layer interacting with the one below. When I look closely, I see vertical lines of darker green or brown, these subtle marks gives definition to the piece, and breaks up the smooth surface with this irregular rhythm. You can almost feel the hand of the artist as they shaped the vase and applied the glaze, the slight imperfections creating depth, and warmth. It shares a kinship with the work of George Ohr, another potter whose work embraces the strange and the imperfect. In art, the conversation never ends, it just keeps looping and swirling.