Bottle Vase in Gray and White

Thomas Hoadley, Bottle Vase in Gray and White, 1981, colored porcelain, 7 ³⁄₄ x 6 ³⁄₄ in. (19.7 x 17.2 cm) diam., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Donna and John Donaldson in memory of Jean and John Michael on the occasion of the Fifteenth Anniversary of the James Renwick Alliance and the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Renwick Gallery, 1997.109.6

Artwork Details

Title: Bottle Vase in Gray and White
Artist: Thomas Hoadley
Date: 1981
Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum
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Luce Foundation Center
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4th Floor
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53A
Dimensions: 7 ³⁄₄ x 6 ³⁄₄ in. (19.7 x 17.2 cm) diam.
Credit Line: Gift of Donna and John Donaldson in memory of Jean and John Michael on the occasion of the Fifteenth Anniversary of the James Renwick Alliance and the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Renwick Gallery
Mediums: ceramic
Mediums Description: colored porcelain
Classifications: Decorative Arts
Object Number: 1997.109.6
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1997.109.6

Artwork Description

Thomas Hoadley used the Japanese technique called nerikomi to create the delicate lines of color in this vase. Different colored clays are layered, folded, pressed, and layered again, working the clay into rolls. The rolls are then cut into slices, which are used to “build” a vessel. Hoadley began using this labor-intensive process in the early 1980s, and feels that it creates an "organic union of pattern and structure." His pieces from this period often comprise three colors, and exhibit spirals, stripes, or checkerboard compositions. The pattern in Bottle Vase in Gray and White evokes feathers or shells, natural forms that inspired many of Hoadley's later works.