Glazed stoneware・Oxide wash

Look closely and you’ll see the mist-shrouded forests and valleys covering the surface of this tea bowl. Through a mix of thickly applied oxide wash and happenstance, Taiwanese artist, Liao Guo Hua, has coaxed from this glaze an incredibly atmospheric scene. Carefully thrown on the potter's wheel, then trimmed and textured on the underside, this pot is no less majestic for its simplicity.

The oxide wash that bands the rim varies in texture, iron dry to smooth, rippling glassiness. A thin coat of white glaze covers the interior, and its clean surface interrupted only once: a small blue “beauty mark” can be seen on the inside wall, a tiny speck of cobalt or copper running downwards. Marks like this are impossible to predict, and are considered gifts from the “kiln gods”.

Approximate dimensions: 75mm tall, 115mm diameter, 250ml・Artist: 廖國華