John J. Gredler Works of Art

Ceramic Vase 'Primavera' by Leah Jensen

Based on the 15th century Renaissance painting 'Primavera' by Sandro Botticelli, this black stoneware vessel has a carved, faceted exterior.

Leah places images of the painting onto the unfired clay, she then pins points within the image that once removed reveal an intricately mapped surface pattern. Leah embraces the three dimensional aesthetic of her work, describing her style as "anti digital". This reflects the pure enjoyment she derives from the carving process ad the opportunity to further develop her own skills. This 'Primavera' vase took 101 hours to complete.

Leah Jensen is a ceramicist who has pioneered a distinctive technique of carving geometric patterns into clay. Leah's research examines European painting between the 14th - 16th centuries, depicting tales of sorrow, tragedy and beauty. Images of the painting are applied to the unfired clay surface: pins are then used to map out significant points unearthing a hidden geometric structure within the painting. The points left behind dictate where the patterns will be carved, a process devised to allow Leah to focus on the quality of the carving. Creating a greater technical challenge.

Primavera (Spring) is a large panel painting in tempera by the Italian Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli in the late 1470's or early 1480"s.