The parabola series

Inspired by a week with international potter Gareth Mason, Alison started her parabola pots.  These start from the same pair of mathematically pure shapes, and change the overall appearance with subtle reformings and complex glazes.  The suspense is intense, on opening the kiln, to see how the latest mix of the small pallette of glazes will have combined.  

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Simplicity. Back to the pure shape, with complexity in the surface texture and colours.

A mountain on legs - what a difference in Reduction. The name reflects a new mix of glazes and kiln conditions - but the kiln's now broken again...

Fairy mountain explores the same elements as Shrek, but what a difference up-side down makes. All the 'mushrooms' have complicated tops with glazes and oxides

Zebra has deeply engraved channels with metallic sheen, divided by bands of blue. it's name made more sense before the blue detail went on over the white glaze, in the final firing

Tattoo was inspired by a David Attenborough documentary of many years ago. It was designed for Lewisias - a succulent that hates wet, which is why each planting pocket has a little rain hat

Splash - although I'm not sure that dropping it would do quite that. The body of the pot was washed before it was fired, so that the strengthening grains of ceramic in the clay now stand out against the shiny glazes

Propeller. Complex shape, complex glazes, endearing but hopelessly wobbly

Crocodile is massive with its textured ribs, would look amazing planted with something spiky.

Already living somewhere else

Shrek shrieked it's own name on coming out of the kiln. It began as a reverse of Fairy Mountain, so I suppose continues to channel my inner child

Blue Lily, or possibly pitcher plant if you don't mind a carnivore in your sitting room

Nudibranch is reminiscent of the shapes Alison sees when scuba diving

Anemone 2. I love the impact of the secret inside against the obvious outside. It got me trying the 'half shape' a second time

Tulip has most of its interests hidden inside - much as does the natural flower, although the Dutch haven't yet managed turquoise

Wow. The first in the series, and I felt the excitement of combining glazes for the first time.

And Conch is another one which suggests a marine theme

Anemone was inspired by a particular coral, but 'cabbage' isn't a very romantic name. The bronze exterior sets of the knobbly inside

Blue Flying (saucer). The first of a new shape series. Still parabolic, but its equation would be different

Alien Seed got its name from its new owner, before it had even left the studio. There are technical difficulties to firing these sideways versions, but I'm persevering

Submarine as planted by its new owner. The little lavender is in the conning tower (the name makes a bit more sense when you can see the top)