Thomas Fossier, a retired pilot, began working with clay while living in New Zealand some 20 years ago. His primary focus is wood-fired vessels, fired in his anagama kiln in northern California. He explores form and surface with a Zen sensibility. In his own words:
I have spent much of my life walking in the high mountains and desert canyons of the American West. Rocks and colorful soil are the most essential features of these landscapes, and my aesthetic vision has been tuned to the characteristics and beauty of mineral surfaces. I find that I am a materials enthusiast, and love ceramics for reasons similar to my love for Western landscapes: the colors and textures, and the sense of material substance and solidity in three-dimensional space.
The medium of clay is inspiring for both is forming and firing characteristics, and I am drawn to exploring its limits, bringing attention to its specific properties. Firing my work in a wood-burning kiln, at very high temperatures for multiple days, brings out the tactile and colorful potential of clay and melted ash. The unique character of different clays becomes markedly evident after immersion in this transformative environment.
I see my clay forms as both canvases upon which I will paint with fire, and as the formal structural elements which balance the organic patterns that flame creates. There is an opportunity for serendipity that wood-firing engenders since it is a collaboration between the potter’s intention and natural process that is not wholly controllable, and thus the seemingly random complexity of nature is evident in every piece.
I believe that we unconsciously recognize the seemingly random order of nature as beautiful, and I embrace a process that brings some of that magic to my work. I seek to make objects which embody subtlety, whose refinement and elegance come to be known gradually, and that are both robust and unpretentious. Thus, I attempt to lay the foundation for a durable relationship, wherein my clay work may enhance the aesthetic experience of home and bring a sense of occasion to the myriad small moments which comprise our days.
