The Heron Pot

The long awaited “Heron Pot”. I posted this vase with a sculpted heron on my story months ago. And the amount of positive feedback stunned me. At Holiday Markets the odd person would ask me about the status of this pot.

With all the love this pot received as greenware, I knew I had to try something special with this one. But I also had the thought that most artists have when a WIP is getting attention….”Please god don’t let me ruin this in the decoration”. The Heron Pot sat in my shop for months while I tried to think of what to do. A blank canvas (with a heron).

Eventually, after exploring painting on other pots, I just decided to give’r. I’m fairly new to the underglaze game, and I’m definitely still learning. After days of painting the background (layers upon layers so the colours turn out after firing), I was staring at a blank heron.

For the heron I wanted to add contrast in some way. It was the focal point of this pot, and hours had gone into sculpting it. So I took a risk and used midfire glazes to highlight the textures. This is a risky maneuver, especially considering I had only tested these glazes once before. Nonetheless, I mapped it out. Layering glazes I hoped with interact well, taking care to remember which of these glazes were runnier.

Then, after more hours of work than I’ve ever put into a single piece, I tossed it in the kiln.

This was the result. I will provide a certificate of authenticity upon request.

Dimensions: H 10.5" x W 4"