Asymmetrical stoneware vase, handmade - Small size

Small stoneware vase wheel-thrown by Laure Fonteneau, a ceramic artist based in Vernoux-en-Vivarais, Ardèche. Its asymmetrical shape is created by reshaping the piece from the inside. The surface combines several colored clays with deliberately unevenly applied glazes, and the interior is glazed, making it waterproof. They are fired at 1,240°C.

Description

Each vase starts on the potter’s wheel with a straight-sided form. The potter then reshapes it by hand from the inside to give it its asymmetrical silhouette. Once the clay has firmed up, she works on the piece again to set its final shape.

Next comes the surface work. Laure applies several layers of different colored clays, which give the vase its raw appearance. She glazes the inside, then applies the outer glazes in a deliberately uneven way. Firing at 1,240°C vitrifies the clay and sets the glazes.

L’The glazed interior makes the vase waterproof: it can hold water and fresh flowers, or sit empty on a shelf.

Since each piece is shaped and glazed by hand, no two are exactly alike: the shape, colors, and glaze patterns vary from vase to vase. The one you receive will be similar to the photo, but not identical.

Specifications

Glazed stoneware, glazed interior (waterproof). Fired at 1,240°C. Handmade in Ardèche, France.

Care
Rinse the vase with lukewarm water after use, using a bottle brush if needed. Change the flower water regularly. Avoid the dishwasher and abrasive sponges to prevent damage to the decoration.

About Laure Fonteneau:

A few years ago, I trained in wheel throwing with Elodie Culis in Drôme. We worked on all kinds of forms and kept very few pieces over the course of several months. Our task was to practice and gradually master the potter’s movements: centering the clay, pulling it up to form even walls...

After those intense moments, I settled in Vernoux-en-Vivarais, Ardèche, and began producing work. I continue to train while working, which is an excellent way to learn. The possibilities in ceramics are so vast, and the ways of working are endless... I focus my work on using simple materials and relatively understated, practical forms. I draw inspiration from observations in nature and from impressions gathered in forests, mountains, and by the sea...

I currently work in a shared studio in Vernoux, where several of us are potters. It is also a place for training, exchange, and connection.

Discover our website: https://www.lepotao.fr/

Find my creations on Instagram: @laurefonteneau