Pit Fired Vessel With Gridded Surface By Melissa Woodburn

Pit firing is a wonderfully unpredictable "primitive" firing technique for clay. This piece was fired in a shallow pit dug at the beach. The colors come not from glazes but from sawdust, cow dung, salt and seaweed lining the pit. This vessel features an array of mesmerizing colors, from deep maroon to peachy oranges with a snakeskin-like grid tracing its surface. The piece measures about 8" in height and 6" in width at it's widest point, with its opening measuring about an inch in diameter.