Description
This is a beautiful small/pet urn. I have made this small urn on my potter's wheel using soft stoneware clay. The approximate dimensions are 5.25" x 3.75" & capacity is 35/40 cubic inches. (equal to about 35-40 lbs. before cremation). KENT HARRIS: The Potter I am a full-time studio potter in Amarillo, TX. My wife, Megan Easley, & I are the owners of Blue Sage Pottery & Art Gallery (www.bluesagepottery.com) located at 3302 W. Sixth Ave., part of historic Route 66. My love of pottery began when I took a clay class in high school, but my college courses really fueled the fire. I studied ceramics with Elmer Taylor at the University of North Texas. He inspired & challenged me to reach deep within myself & become the best potter I could possibly be. I credit him with fueling my interest in functional pots & earthy glazes. I completed my B.F.A. degree in Ceramics & Glass at West Texas A&M University & my Masters of Fine Arts in Ceramics at University of North Texas. I work in our spacious studio in Amarillo, TX pursuing my love of stoneware pottery, ash glazes & natural gas firing. I also travel often to give ceramic workshops, attend art festivals & participate in group & solo exhibitions. My process of making the pots: The process of making pottery is thousands of years old. I connect myself to the ancient traditions of pot making by the many processes I use. I throw pots on an English style Treadle Wheel that is foot propelled. It has a slow rythmical revolution that lends itself to soft, natural pots. I throw on the potter's wheel to create a piece that has beauty & will stand the test of time. After the pot is created on the wheel it must be allowed to dry before being fired to 1850 F in a bisque firing. After the bisque firing the piece is glazed. My process of glazing encompasses a use of wood ash glazes, local slip clays, iron & ochers. Using local materials, wood ashes & a variety of clays for glazes gives my pots a superior quality that cannot be created by any other method. I have done thousands of glaze tests to find the glazes that I use today. The processes & materials I use let my art be in harmony with the earth. All of my work is finished by firing it in a brick gas-fueled kiln to 2400 F in a reduction atmosphere, which fuses the glaze to the clay body. My pots are dishwasher safe & lead free. All of my work is made by the highest standards & should provide years of enjoyment. Perhaps some of them will still be around thousands of years from now. Artist Statement: "Pots made with local materials & a clear purpose can achieve a beauty found most often in nature. The more pots I make, my commitment to local materials grows. The local materials I use include a variety of clays & wood ashes. Preparing local clay-based glazes & "washing" the wood ash are lengthy processes during which I become more mindful. Using local clays & wood ash glazes also allows me to create pots which reflect the natural beauty of their source, the earth & the
