Earthenware ‘Curiosity Clouds’ Nest Collections of Natural Objects in Sprawling Wall Displays

Art
Craft

#ceramics
#Katie Rose Johnston
#sculpture

Earthenware ‘Curiosity Clouds’ Nest Collections of Natural Objects in Sprawling Wall Displays

July 19, 2024

Grace Ebert

All images © Katie Rose Johnston, shared with permission

Evoking the meandering veins in leaves, the clustered divots of termite holes, or pocked coral, Katie Rose Johnston’s ceramic sculptures meld organic form with function.

The Glasgow-based artist (previously) works as M A N I F E S T O, shaping wall-based shelves she refers to as Curiosity Clouds. Designed to hold collections like their 16th-century counterparts known as wunderkammers, the earthenware pieces contain small pockets perfectly shaped to fit pinecones, seashells, and craggy hunks of stone.

Johnston recently returned to Scotland after a residency at Shiro Oni Studios in Japan where she participated in the four-day communal ritual of firing an Anagama kiln. As wood burns in the chamber, ash clings to the ceramics inside and adds a glossy finish, an unpredictable outcome the artist plans to incorporate into her practice. “I’ve started to develop an ash glaze, which will invite a little of this chance into these new forms,” she tells Colossal. “The wood ash was very kindly given by a local Glasgow-based pizza restaurant, so I’m excited to also have the opportunity to divert a waste material from landfill, giving it a new life.”

In addition to this technical development, the residency inspired a series of wood-fired serving dishes and platters, which Johnston plans to continue in the coming months. All of her sculptures and goods sell out incredibly quickly, but if you keep an eye out for shop updates on her Instagram, you might be able to snag one.

#ceramics
#Katie Rose Johnston
#sculpture

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