A few weeks ago I brought a cup, about which I am particularly happy. Do not be surpriced, we like to buy pots from our colleagues. There are still some people who, when visiting our studio and showroom, note "It is great, you can make for yourselfe everything you need. From tales on the floor to plates in your kitchen or even sink in your bathroom". Of course, we can. But there is certain pleasure in using pieces from another potters, another studios. And so in our house, you can find wide variety of ceramic from all around the world. Some are in daily use, some are shown just time to time as a memory to those, who we met or visit, to specific moment or place.
This cup comes from my friend Aleš Dančák aka Belin. His studio lies in small village Pržno, North Moravia, and he recently builded new wood kiln (if I am right, it is his third one). After several firings he is very happy about it. And this cup is just one (of many) proof that he can be really proud.
Made of porcelain, it is entirely unglazed. Ash have sit and melted on its face side. It makes, from this otherwise cold material, warm and very live piece. In hands, you can feel fine irregularity of handmade work, throwing and trimming. Some lines there are made wilfully some show not-plaible, tough material.
When I am holding this empty cup, I realize how important for our perception of tea ware is the balance. Thickness of walls and bottom, where centre of gravity lies. Here we have thicker bottom and walls. But top of the cup, the rim is very thin. It evokes lightness. Together with fine tea, it uplifts my daily being. And what else we would like to get from good cup, right?
Aleš is everything but active around the on.line world. His web presentation is hopelessly out-of-date. But if you would like to know more about his recent, pretty interesting, work, then try to get his attention through belinbelin
Thank you for reading!
It makes two of us :) Thanks for stopping by.
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