Functional pottery [slide]
by Frank Bevis Fabens
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts
Montana State University
© Copyright by Frank Bevis Fabens (1986)
Abstract:
no abstract found in this volume FUNCTIONAL POTTERY
by
Fra n k B e v is Fabens
A t h e s i s s u b m it te d in p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t
o f t h e re q u ir e m e n t s f o r t h e degree
of
M a s te r o f F in e A r t s
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bozeman, Montana
May 1986
a/1 7 8 1
P // /
I I
A pprove I
o f a t h e s i s s u b m it t e d by
Frank B e v is Fabens
T h is t h e s i s has been read by each member o f th e a u t h o r ' s g ra d u a te
c o m m itte e and has been fou n d t o be s a t i s f a c t o r y r e g a r d in g c o n t e n t ,
E n g lis h u sag e , f o r m a t , c i t a t i o n s , b i b l i o g r a p h i c s t y l e , and c o n s i s t e n c y ,
and i s re a dy f o r s u b m is s io n t o t h e C o lle g e o f G raduate S t u d i e s .
Date
Approved f o r t h e M a jo r Departm ent
Date
Head
D e p artm ent
Approved f o r t h e C o lle g e o f G raduate S t u d ie s
Date
G ra d u a te Dean
m
STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO USE
In p r e s e n t i n g t h i s
th e s is
in p a r t i a l
f u l f i l l m e n t o f th e
r e q u ir e m e n t s f o r a m a s t e r 's d e g re e a t Montana S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y ,
t h a t t h e L i b r a r y s h a l l make i t
L ib ra ry .
I a g re e
a v a i l a b l e t o b o rro w e rs u n d e r r u l e s o f t h e
B r i e f q u o t a t i o n s fro m t h i s
pap e r a r e a l l o w a b l e w i t h o u t s p e c i a l
p e r m i s s i o n , p r o v id e d t h a t a c c u r a t e acknowledgement o f s o u rc e i s made.
P e r m is s io n f o r e x t e n s i v e q u o t a t i o n fro m o r r e p r o d u c t i o n o f, t h i s
p a p e r may be g r a n t e d by my m a jo r p r o f e s s o r , o r in h i s a b se n ce , by t h e
Dean o f L i b r a r i e s when,
th e m a te ria l
m a te ria l
Date
i s f o r s c h o l a r l y p u rp o s e s .
in t h i s
my w r i t t e n
*) / /
in t h e o p i n i o n o f e i t h e r ,
paper f o r f in a n c i a l
p e rm is s io n .
3/
t h e p roposed use o f
Any c o p y in g o r use o f th e
g a in s h a l l
n o t be a llo w e d w i t h o u t
Iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
APPROVAL......................................................................................................................................
STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO USE.............................................................................. ..
TABLE OF CONTENTS................................
' '
IM
iv
ARTIST'S STATEMENT....................
I
LIST OF SLIDES.........................
3
I
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
My p o t t e r y c o n t a i n s harmony w h ic h a r i s e s o u t o f c o n t r a d i c t i o n .
p ie c e s do n o t a p p e a r t o be t r a d i t i o n a l l y
s u rfa c e
i s b o th r i g i d
and s o f t .
is
in trig u in g
An i n i t i a l
These c o n t r a d i c t i o n s c r e a t e a p o t t e r y
and i s n o t u n d e rs to o d a t f i r s t g la n c e .
v is u a l
im p r e s s io n o f my s a k e 1 b o t t l e c o n t r a d i c t s common
id e a s o f a f u n c t i o n a l o b j e c t ,
s t a n d a b le and f u n c t i o n a l
may change o n e 's
p o t.
b u t upon h a n d l i n g ,
If
it
becomes an u n d e r­
so m e th in g f e e l s good o r w orks w e l l ,
it
idea o f t h e p o t ; c o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e s e p o ts a r e t o be
e x p lo r e d w i t h f i n g e r s .
The eye and mind a c c e p t l i m i t e d
s ta n d a r d s o f
f u n c t i o n and n o n f u n c t i o n , w h i l e to u c h i s a c c o u n ta b le o n l y t o
cup t h a t can be h e ld
t h r o u g h to u c h as w e l l
s ig h t w i l l
The
The a p p a r e n t h e a v in e s s o f t h e form s is
d i f f e r e n t fro m t h e a c t u a l w e i g h t .
w h ic h
f u n c t io n a l, y e t th e y a re .
The
its e lf.
A
in one hand can be e x p lo r e d t h r e e - d im e n s io n a l I y
as th r o u g h s i g h t .
The v ie w e r u s in g b o th to u c h and
g a in a more c o m p le te u n d e r s t a n d in g o f my p o t ' s com plex p la n e s
and s u r f a c e s .
I have two d i f f e r e n t a p p ro a che s t o s u r f a c e .
c la y 's
s o f t m a l l e a b i l i t y and s e n s i t i v i t y
One s u r f a c e c a p t u r e s
t o to u c h .
T h is s u r f a c e re c o rd s
t h e sp on tan e ou s random t e x t u r e s o f c l a y r i g h t o u t o f t h e bag.
s u rfa c e
is a r i g i d
p a tte rn
imposed on t h e f o r m .
It
The o t h e r
Is a d e l i b e r a t e and
open p a t t e r n , c o n t i n u i n g beyond t h e b o u n d a rie s o f t h e f o r m , as i f
p o t c o l l i d e d w i t h a p la n e o f p a t t e r n w h ic h
th e
im pressed i t s e l f on th e p o t .
2
The p a t t e r n
becomes s h a r p e r In c o n t r a s t t o t h e s o f t e r c l a y s u r f a c e , and
th e c ris p n e s s o f th e p a tte rn h ig h li g h t s
t h e random s o f t c l a y s u r f a c e .
My fo rm s a r e e c c e n t r i c and S t a b le and have a heavy lo o k .
F la t
b o tto m s a n d / o r w id e bases c r e a t e a g ro u n d e d f e e l i n g and re a s s u rin g s tre n g th .
s o lid
By a c c e p t in g and f o s t e r i n g
lump o f c l a y ,
s p o u t, i t
I ta p
in t o n a tu ra l Iy s t a b le form s.
Its e lf
in t o th e fo rm .
it
is
t a k e s on t h a t p a t t e r n ,
in te ­
its e lf.
in t h e f u n c t i o n o f th e s e p o t s t h a t harmony between c o n t r a s t ­
in g e le m e n ts becomes most a p p a r e n t and i s
fo rm s each have one s i d e w h ic h
t o h o ld .
th e p o t.
The p o t c r e a t e s a harmony o f b alanced
p a r t s o u t o f a fo rm w h ic h c o n t r a d i c t s
It
When I add a
has t h e same f e e l i n g as t h e b od y, t h e r e b y u n i f y i n g
Where a h a n d le goes o v e r a p a t t e r n ,
g ra tin g
t h e cumbersome n a t u r e o f a s o f t ,
re c o n c ile d .
The s a k e 1 b o t t l e
i s s o f t and c l a y - l i k e and v e r y
in v itin g
The p a t t e r n e d s i d e does n o t i n v i t e you t o h o ld as much as t o
e x p l o r e , m oving y o u r f i n g e r s deep i n t o t h e p a t t e r n .
b o th o f t h e s e s u r f a c e s
im p lie s a w e ig h t!n e s s .
There i s n o t h i n g
a b o u t t h e form s and s u r f a c e s o f th e s e p o ts u n t i l
p h y s i c a l w e ig h t
is a j o y ,
in s p irin g
The t r e a t m e n t o f
lig h t
you p i c k them up.
The
use.
C o n t r a s t fo c u s e s t h e senses on t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f f u n c t i o n a l
p o ts .
Harmony makes t h e p o ts
l i v e a b l e and f r i e n d l y .
e v e ry d a y v ie w o f what i s p o s s i b l e
in g o o d , f u n c t i o n a l
My p o t s expand th e
p o ts .
3
LIST OF SLIDES
1.
B lu e Tea Set
P o rc e la in
Te a p o t I 0"Hx7"Wx6"D
5.
Bone S ake 1 Set
P o r c e l a in
S ake 1 B o t t l e 6"Hx4"W x3.5"D
2.
B la c k S a ke 1 Set
P o r c e l a in
Sake' B o t t l e 5"Hx6"Wx5"D
6.
C le a r Tea Set
P o r c e l a in
Teapot Si i Hx IO11Wx IO11D
3.
D e c a n te r and Cups
P o rc e la in
D e c a n te r 7"Hx6"Wx4"D *4
7.
C o ffe e Set
P o r c e l a in
C o ffe e Pot 11 mHx SmWx S11D
4.
Celedon Tea Set
P o rc e la in
T e ap o t I ZllHxS1lWxS11D
8.
Honey Sake1 Set
P o rc e la in
S ake 1 B o t t l e 5"Hx4"Wx4"D
,
6
I
2
$
3
$
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
3
762 10047660 3