DV_200801_200801_18H_20W_07D_W15_P375W_Drama_at_Sea

EB_140725_200902_06H_16W_14D_W05_P195W

OV_201005_201005_H15_W06_D05_W03_P135W

SV_151228_201201_18H_17W_04D_W07_P325W

SV_201101_201101_19H_17W_04D_W08_P325W

TV_191104_191104_14H_13W_05D_W06_P135W

TV_200602_201104_12H_11W_11D_W06_P145W

TV_201001_201001_14H_10W_10D_W07_P145W

TV_201003_201202_12H_13W_07D_W04_P140W

TV_201005_201008_H10_W11_D10_W04_P145W

TV_201009_201009_H10_W11_D07_W04_P135W

TV_201010_201010_H10_W11_D11_W04_P165W

This is the first piece that the principals of Jean Elton ever created.  Bill threw on the potter's wheel the bowl base and Lois coiled the top.   This was made in the ceramic shop of Ft Sill, OK. 
 

This is the second piece ever created as a collaboration between the principals of Jean Elton.  It was executed at the ceramic shop at Ft Sill, OK.  It consists of two bowls sealed together, topped with a third vase fused with the bowls beneath. 
 

This was one of the earliest pieces thrown by the principals of Jean Elton.  One classic principle of throwing is to avoid a straight profile.  Even when the overall shape was to have essentially a rectangular profile and therefore straight sides, it is much more pleasing to have slight bowing in either direction.  This simple vase evidences that principle. 

Coming home one day Bill notices smoke emanating form the back yard.  Alarmed, he asked Lois what was going on.  Lois calmly replied that she had dug a hole and was pit firing some pottery.  This piece is the last remaining one from that firing.  Approximately 14" in diameter.

Inspired by Bernard Leach's fish pot, this piece was thrown on the wheel in Northern Virginia at a local recreation center.  A crowd had gathered to observe the rather tall piece (about 18") being thrown.  A gasp went through the crowd as the piece was distorted into an oval-like shape.  Many years previous to making this piece, the Jean Elton owners visited the Victoria and Albert Museum in London to view Bernard Leach's fish pot.  We were told that in addition to the one we were viewing there, there was a copy in a private collection.  A few years later, we were touring the British countryside visiting British potters, including Bernard Leach.  While there, it was suggested that we visit the great potter's next door neighbor.  Thinking this strange, we nevertheless did so and to our amazement, when we were ushered into the living room for a chat, the other Leach fish pot was nonchalantly positioned on the table in the corner next to the lamp.

Raku has a long, interesting history, one that cannot even be fairfly summarized here.  But in its American manifestation, the ceramic artist removes the work from the hot kiln and plunges it into organic material like sawdust and then covers the container to starve the ensuing flames of oxegen, thereby producing a beautiful dark overtone (referred to a "reduction" in ceramic art circles).  This piece was made in Quechee, VT but almost caused the home in which the Barkers were living and which housed the first Jean Elton Gallery to burn down.  Once this piece was in its reduction container, the artists left it just outside the lower level of the home/gallery/studio and went upstairs to have lunch.  Shortly, however, the Barkers noticed flames outside the kitchen window that were stretching all the way up from the bottom floor.  Apparently the pressure created in the reduction chamber caused the lid to pop off and the flame started to burn strongly.  Fortunately, there was no damage to the home and the piece turned out well.  One of the few remaining Raku pieces executed by Jean Elton. 

This is one of the early sailvases created before the current decorative theme was established.  See "How We Made..." (Main Website Navigation) for information on how this shape was originally made.   Glaze by Alan Dodd, a friend of the Studio who works with us from time to time. 

This was one of a few original sailvases executed before the current decorative theme was established. See "How We Made..." (Main Website Navigation) for information on how this shape was originally made. 

Prior to using slipcast methods, Jean Elton made large bowls using "hump molds" over which slabs of clay were layered.  A standard kitchen rolling pin with a router-created design was rolled across the top to create the rim.
 

Prior to using slipcast methods, Jean Elton made large bowls using "hump molds" over which slabs of clay were layered.  A standard kitchen rolling pin with a router-created design was rolled across the outside of this piece to create the outer design. 

This and the "fish pot" mark the beginning of distorting of work for design purposes.  This piece was thrown and (electric) fired at the local recreation center in Springfield, VA.  It is about 12" in diameter. 

This piece was thrown and (electric) fired at the local recreation center in Springfield, VA.  It is about 12" in diameter. 

Prior to using slipcast methods, Jean Elton made large bowls using "hump molds" over which slabs of clay were layered.  A standard kitchen rolling pin with a router-created design was rolled across the ouside to create the outer design.  The top was then scalloped and the entire piece turned upside down so that a foot could be thrown on the bottom. 

The throwing marks in this bowl (about 10" in diameter) are remarkable uniform over which the glaze "breaks" into a beautiful display of rich colors.  This glaze is no longer used by Jean Elton
 

This is the original disk pitcher.  The disk pitcher is the best-selling Jean Elton product ever.  This original work was produced as a class project for Lois's class at the University of Hartford (CT).  It was produced by throwing two similar plates and fusing them together and slicing off sections to create the foot and the spout after which a pulled handle was added.  The piece is about 10" high and is decorated with a glaze no longer used by Jean Elton.  While the piece is meant for decoration, it is perfectly safe for use. 

This teapot (about 6" high) was created in Erlenback, Germany.  The Jean Elton principals began using the name Jean Elton while living there.  Having become friends with Wilhelm and Elle Kuch and some of their apprentices, the Kuchs were kind enough to allow Jean Elton to use some of their proprietary clay, from which this teapot is made. 
 

This bowl has a base glaze with the top dipped in a glaze with a complementary color that tends to create an outline at the intersection between the two glazes.  It is one of the pieces made in Germany from clay kindly provided by Wilhelm and Elle Kuch. 

This bowl, approximately 6" in diameter, exhibits all the classic attributes of a strong wheel-thrown shape: uniform, bold throwing marks and visual lightness with a narrow, footed base.  The glaze, while chosen for its ability to "break" into different shades over the throwing marks, is NOT safe for use with foods. 
 

This classic, yet bowl tea pot (about 6" in height) was thrown and assembled by hand. 

While Lois made a few of these, this small vase (approximately 5" high) is one of the only Jean Elton pinch pots remaining from the early 80's. The basic shape is created by pinching two bowls and putting them together, throwing a top and fusing all the parts together with slip.  The texture is created by impressed with a straw-like tool.  The piece is then glazed, but the external layer of the glaze is rubbed off leaving the glaze to accumulate in the impressions, while on most of the surface, the now very thin glaze acts as a stain.  The top is dipped in a lighter glaze for contrast. 

This bowl (about 8" in diameter) was fired in the 21 cubic foot kiln in the Studio's current location in Fairfield, CT shortly after the kiln was installed.  Influenced by Paul Soldner, we stacked several pieces randomly into the kiln and loaded it with branches of trees that had dropped on the lawn after a storm.  The randomness of the stacking and the organic nature of branches combine to create the spontaneous designs that this piece exhibits.  The problem is that the process entails lots of smoke and rather displeasing oders, causing neighbors to complain.  Not wanting to be bad neighbors, we only fired the kiln once that way and this is the only bowl that survives from that occasion.   

This is the only ceramic bust ever made by either of the original principals of Jean Elton.  It was made to commemorate the following: 

Spending a few years (1978 – 1980) in the Hanover, NH region while Bill attended business school, we got to know Ann Margolis who was the chairperson of the local ceramic art society.  We made ceramic work with her and got to know her husband also, who, interestingly enough was a dermatology physician who had something to do with the treatment of the famous novelist John Updike for his psoriasis at Massachusetts General Hospital.   Updike had recently published in the New Yorker Magazine a short story called “From the Journal of a Leper” that described a potter with psoriasis who specialized in creating very smooth ceramic work.  As the potter was treated, and his skin began to heal, he unconsciously began making the surfaces of his work much more rough.  Dr Margolis told this story to us because he had noticed over the two years we worked with his wife, that Lois -- a petite woman -- had started out making small objects, but was increasingly -- as she gained confidence in her skills -- making larger and larger objects.  Even today, Lois eschews making smaller things, wanting instead to make a statement.  The exception, ironically, is this sculpture, which is only about 4" high. 

This vase, approximately 8" in height, exhibits all the classic attributes of a strong wheel-thrown shape: uniform, bold throwing marks and visual lightness with a narrow, footed base.    Also, consistent with one classic principle of throwing which is to avoid a straight profile, this piece reflects that principle with a pleasing, slightly concave profile.  The glaze, while chosen for its ability to "break" into different shades over the throwing marks, is NOT safe for use with foods. 

These tumblers (about 8" tall) were made with in Germany with the clay body kindly provided by Wilhelm and Elle Kuch, after we had come to know them and some of their apprentices. 

This small pitcher (approximately 5" high) is blistered from being fired too high in one of the first firings of the new kiln that was purchased in the US and shipped to Germany in the mid-70s.  While the glaze is safe for food use, it is not recommended for this piece due to the difficulty in cleaning. 
 

This teapot set (the teapot is about 4" high) was made in Germany from the very plastic clay kindly provided by Wilhelm and Elle Kuch, well known ceramic artists from Germany. 

This set of mugs (each about 3" high) was made in the first and only kiln ever constructed by Jean Elton, which was in Simsbury, CT.  Each is dipped in only one glazed, but since each is dipped more than once, the thicker portions of the glaze create a contrast to the base color.