Today on the blog I have a lovely exhibition from Matt Sloan. I wrote this last year after Matt’s show but somehow forgot to post it! Now Matt has an online sale (here) so I thought it was a good time to put it out into the world. This was a fabulous exhibition so it was a treat to revisit it!
Matt was working at figuring out how to get gohonde spots on his pots for a while. Before John Britt’s PDF came out I might add! The gohonde spots I am referring to are the orange halos you see peppering his surfaces. They appear in random patterns, some having more and some less, depending on where they sat in the kiln. It’s a devilishly difficult surface to achieve. The clay has to be just right, as well as the slip, glaze and firing schedule. There are so many variables and the spots are fickle! Many a time I would come to the studio to see Matt depositing failed pots in the shard heap.
So, it’s really nice to see how Matt figured it out and to see so many winners in this exhibition. The surfaces are a real testament to Matt’s perseverance. The forms are various, but all speak to a specific purpose. These pots are destined to be used, mindfully designed to be used in the daily rituals of life. I have quite a few pots made by Matt and enjoy using them so much. They have a softness and generosity that I hope to imbue my own pots with. They are a pleasure to use. Some of my favorites in the kitchen and the hand.
Anyway, I’ll stop waffling. Here’s a couple pictures and then Matt’s own thoughts on the show.
On to the pots! I’ve organised them by type. First up, I want to show these wall platters. This arrangement around the large vase set the tone for the whole exhibition, I think. They gave the space a somewhat religious feel. The way Matt lit them was reminiscent of a cathedral or church setting.
Now on to the bowls. Matt’s bowls are so nice. We have some at home and they’re a pleasure to use. Many of these got great firings too.
Here are some of Matt’s less functional pieces. They made me think of fancy architectural bird houses, but also you can see them as reliquaries or containers for relics.
Jar time…
Next up we have pouring vessels. Teapots, pitchers, bottles and cruets. These forms are close to my heart. I snagged one of the teapots (the first pictured one) and have been using it at home a lot.
Let’s end with some lovely vases, and a final plug for Matt’s website where you can shop for his work. Go check it out… https://sloanceramics.com/
