coiled and paddled vase with sand base

h 29cm

a vase that is not wheel-thrown, but gradually
built up with coils and paddled with a wooden
tool at various stages during this process
to give it an hexagonal shape that is
somehow zoomorphic, reminding me of certain
microorganisms or baby jellyfish.
the porcelain that I used here is a german type,
very translucent but not plastic at all.
the glaze is a clear apple wood ash glaze.
I fired the piece on a base of coarse sand,
a technique that has been used in the far east
for centuries before the advent of kiln shelves.
a lot of the sand stuck to the foot of the vessel
and I left it mostly in place, only beveling the base
and cleaning loose bits.
it provides a nice contrast to the smooth,
translucent whiteness of the vase itself