For the rest of December, our talented ceramic Artist, Alison Hardin, has provided some beautiful new pieces that would make lovely gifts this Holiday season.

Alison has been making ceramic art for over 25 years in Portland, where she is inspired by the natural beauty that she explores. While raising her two children, she has also been teaching clay arts to youth in local schools. Her focus on hand-building with clay allows her to explore the boundaries of functional forms that are then surrendered to the wood kiln. The woodfiring compliments her forms revealing beauty in imperfection

“Each ceramic piece I create has its own story – its own beginning, its own journey in the kiln, and its own end. I start with smooth slabs of clay and add texture by pressing the surfaces with fabric, leather, leaves, pine cones, shells, stamps, kitchen utensils, or other found objects. Inspired by the natural beauty that surrounds me, I hand-build each piece, molding slabs together to create forms suggestive of both natural and man-made worlds – human figures, tree trunks, clothing or manufactured items.”

“While creating pieces is a more solitary activity, I enjoy the community aspect of wood firing for completing the pieces. Woodfiring requires a team of 12 or more artists to load and stoke the kiln with wood for 1 to 7 days. Much of my work is fired in an anagama wood kiln which is a long, Japanese-style, cave-like kiln designed to help encourage the river r of flame to etch the unglazed pots with unpredictable splashes of earthy color. Ash drops and melts on the front and shoulders, adding layers of color and shine.

After tending the kiln for 3 to 6 days and nights, we open the kiln to reveal the fire-kissed pots. Each one-of-a-kind piece made of earth, fire and chance is now ready for the end of its story, perhaps in your home or in the home of someone you love.”