"Bottles in Blue"

Daniel Slack

"Pottery forms that function mark a boundary that I choose not to cross. The age-old forms are inviolate and have a resonance for all of us. I want to celebrate these forms; giving them all I have."

Daniel Slack feels lucky to be able to follow the ancient path of pottery making. To remain true to the basic tenants of the art form, he makes the most efficient use of materials possible, believing that they are rare and precious in their own right. Daniel's pieces are functional, but he prefers that they be solely decorative - icons of pottery that are true sculpture.

Each of his stoneware pieces begins with the throwing process. The forms are then finished by using a variety of techniques. They include a coiling-throwing technique, sectional construction, form alternation, distortion and extruded additions. He also uses a unique glaze technique, applying raw oxide stains over a thick layer of barium glaze that results in a flowing crystalline glaze of vivid color.