52 Form Project- Week 4

Scene from the Sketchbook

The 52 Form Project 

What is it?

My 52 Form Project is devised to help me stretch my creative muscles, explore new forms, or finally get to making forms I have been wanting to try for a long time. I am planning to make a new or modified form for every week of this year

How can you help?

Your input on the forms, their shape, decoration, appeal, and function would be greatly appreciated. Some forms, if they seem like they may do well in the market, may become a part of my regular production.

Week 4

Anna Pottery Hanging Planter, Courtesy, Crocker Farm

When I first came across this hanging planter made in the 19th-century at the Anna Pottery in Illinois, I was captivated. The shape, the function, and the design just had me mesmerized and I knew I had to make a hanging planter with those same concepts some day.

I made the bodies of the planters and used a tool to coggle the edges and rim to make a decorative surface.

Underside of the hanging planter. Courtesy, Crocker Farm

The base had me perplexed for a little while, trying to figure out how they made the piece. I initially thought they threw it as you see it in the photo above, but when I saw how smooth the interior was and paid more attention to the rim and the other components, I figured out that they probably trimmed the piece and then threw another piece off of the base to make the conical opening.

Conical opening thrown off of the base after trimming

Upside down hanging planter

I gave that a try and liked the results. I added white slip in order to paint some blue cobalt decorations on them before the firing, and stamped the pieces with "Liberty Stoneware."

Above is the right side-up view. I have a few kinks to work out (like the mistake I made of putting four holes instead of three on the rim- workable, but more time), but I'm excited to see how they turn out in the kiln. I'm devising how to fire them, and may implement some creative stacking!

I've made 2 pound smaller ones (pictured above), some 4 pound ones, and 6 pound ones. This has been a really fun form to play with and if they turn out well, may be something to stick around!