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Flower Container

Jackson Family Award, In memory of Betty Jackson – $1,000 Acquisitive

Len Cook, Flower Container, 2021
Image courtesy of the artist.

Len Cook

Flower Container 2021

Local clay Feldspar inclusions. Anagama
fired. Naturally deposited wood ash glaze.
24 x 9 x 9 cm

About the Artwork

This piece was fired in my anagama kiln for 100 hours. Made of local clay with coarse Felspar chunks. My inspiration for this piece came from a visit to Iga in Japan. The potters in this region make pieces, that to my mind, remind me of pots that are not made but born. They also remind me of rugged rocks and imagine having flowers growing from the fissures in the surface.

About the Artist

I have been a potter for more than 40 years. My work is represented in regional galleries from Cairns to the Gold Coast. I enrolled in a course at Monash (Gippsland Campus) with Owen Rye as my supervisor where I achieved a Grad Dip in Visual Arts. I have built many wood-firing kilns in various places and have worked with like-minded potters. I have developed clays specifically for wood firing. I sell all of my work in my new purpose-built gallery here in Paluma.

Judge’s Comments

This rough and rugged, almost toad like, piece appeared to have beauty bestowed upon it. Dianne Peach commented that the title ‘Flower Container’ gave new meaning to the work and inspired the viewer to appreciate the rough surface. Len Cook’s work was selected by Dianne as a beautiful example of anagama work. Dianne was intrigued by the long, 100-hour, process to produce the work, and found the look of felt spa chips melting to be beautiful.