Fantasy Fusion — Lois Harbaugh

"I Can Handle Negative Space"

On a shelf with decoration below the shelf.

"Show Stopper"

"Tiny Tower"

On the right: the lid for another vessel.

"Fortunate"

"Fortunate" (back)

studio table

Earlier forms are placed near the new fantasy forms to see if they play well together.

new lid possibilities

"Enigma"

"Enigma" and "Fortunate"

Amazingly, I was unaware of how my new multi-colored work echoed earlier work. “Enigma” clearly echoes “Ginger Jar Pair with Bud Vase” from the Vessel Alphabet Series.

"Blue Iris"

“Blue Iris” is an empty cup ewer - a shape inspired by my cup molds. Surfaced with a glaze named for a flower (blue iris), the form mimics the way sculptors depict an eye’s iris with a concave shape —suggesting the blue iris of an eye. The “eye” lid has a brown iris. ( My loved ones are Asians. I married an Asian; our children married Asians… making my eye, for now, the family’s last blue iris.)

"Eggplant & Ear"

new lid possibilities

"Initial"

I realized that the old fashioned symbol for the British pound sterling Looked like my initials: LH.

“Initial” with a square funnel resting on top.

“Initial,” sitting like an emperor, on a tray.

“Initial” with leaf.

These pieces are steps in creating a new form language for myself. I began by making handles and spouts the main event. Low fire clay, surfaced with unglazed underglazes and matte paint. One thing led to another… as this series shows.

Fantasy Fushion

Often my vessels begin with a voluminous shape and become interesting with the addition of handles and spouts. But forget the vessel — could I make a piece with only the good parts —the handles and spout.? Result: “I Can Handle Negative Space’—the vessel is the shape of the negative space under the handle. Every surface is a different color of underglaze.

When I tried a second time — handles and spout only—the piece looked too insubstantial. So I made it all be a lid and added a hulky vessel below. “Show Stopper.

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