Vase 1893 - 1911

This vase, made by Dedham Pottery, has these striking cobalt blue floral motifs, twisting and twirling across the surface. I imagine the potter carefully applying each brushstroke, building up the layers of color, allowing the glaze to crackle and craze in that distinctive way. They were probably thinking about nature, maybe their garden. I can imagine the way the light might have shifted as they worked. The color is so evocative, and it makes me think about other artists working with ceramics and patterns, like Lucie Rie, who worked with incredible precision. The curve of the stems here feel so expressive, a way of capturing something organic. What if it were a canvas? Would you want to scrub some bits out? Change their order? Ultimately, these works all speak to each other, across time and space, inspiring us to look closer, to feel deeper, and to embrace the unexpected.