Saggar Fired Vessel #3

Alison West’s wheel-thrown ceramics blend traditional techniques with a deep respect for the natural world and a joy in the unpredictability of flame and fire. Her long-standing practice of saggar firing—a method where pots are fired inside protective containers (saggars) with foraged organic materials like plants and seaweed—leaves delicate smoke marks and organic imprints. This process embraces the unknown, with each piece bearing distinctive, atmospheric marks shaped by the firing.

 

Her forms are influenced by both classical Greek elegance and Japanese simplicity, shaped further by several years living in Japan where she absorbed an appreciation for natural materials, process, and imperfection. Central to her work is the use of terra sigillata, an ancient Greek and Roman technique that involves creating an ultra-fine clay slip by separating the smallest particles of clay. When burnished and fired, this slip produces a smooth, glossy surface without glaze. Alison refines Devon’s wild and Ball Clays to create these slips, using this historical method in a contemporary way to highlight the natural hues and textures of the local landscape. These slips are layered over Cornish clay forms, grounding each piece in place and tradition.

 

By combining this heritage with contemporary experimentation, Alison celebrates the novel and unexpected outcomes that arise from working with fire, clay, and nature—capturing the essence of place in every piece

 

Ceramic 

17x23x17cm approx.