Tree bark pot in a tree

[PotterBen]

After receiving a lot of positive feedback from my tree bark pot at the bonsai week pot exhibition, I have gone away with a boost in enthusiasm and started playing to further develop this technique. The original way I achieved the texture was on the potters wheel, however I was not satisfied with only working with circle and oval shapes which the potters wheel lends itself to. I had to come up with another way of creating the tree bark texture without the wheel which a few lucky people got to see when I did an impromptu demonstration at bonsai week. Here are the results of my playing. I have come up with a tree bark texture, free-form pot and a rectangular pot. I've photographed the pots in a jacaranda tree which has the bark texture I am trying to achieve. I particularly like the struggle which exists with in rectangular pot with its very straight and formal shape versus its distressed texture.

Also my original tree bark pot is now owned by Pat Kennedy. This is my claim to fame . There is bit of a story behind it but I'll save that for some other time.

I welcome any feedback.

PotterBen

bark1.jpg

bark2.jpg

bark5.jpg

bark4.jpg

[bodhidharma]

Great looking pots and i love that people are coming up with uniqueness and individuality in their design.

[boom64]

Well done Ben. Original and eye catching in the right way. Any chance of a pic of your original Tree pot........Cheers John.

[Pat K]

Excellent Ben!!

I've often thought about the feasibility of incorporating the distressed look (as achieved on the wheel), into more formal designs,
i.e., the rectangular pot. I always came up with the conclusion that it was too difficult, if not impossible. I am so pleased you have proved me wrong. Much kudos for your skills, however, I do think the movement and informality of your work is at odds with the rigid rectangular pot. I'd love to see the same techniques used in a formally shaped oval pot, AND, the detail that I love so much with the original Bark Pot, extending the technique to the feet!
......but that's just me!!!

I'll take a pic of the original Bark Pot and post it latter today

Stay muddy,
Pat

I've just had a thought.... perhaps if the feet of the oval pot were less formal it might work even better

[Pat K]

....I meant the RECTANGULAR pot in my postscript

pk

[Pat K]

As promised, the original Bark Pot.

The pot shown in the first pic is impressive enough but the second picture shows what I love most about this pot.... the detail doesn't stop with the visible walls of the pot, but continues underneath even to the feet. Magic!!! I don't recall ever having seen this attention to detail before.

If Ben knows the full machinations that led to me being the very happy owner of this pot, I'd love to hear them too.

[peterb]

Awesome to see our local aussie potter's producing these amazing pots . Our potters can hold their heads up high on the world stage
Cheers Peterb

[Charliegreen]

my god