This new jar by Daniel represents everything that I like about his work. It is hand coiled and traditionally fired outdoors. The “squared” off shape of the jar is visually appealing. The balance between the highly polished work and the black matte sections is beautiful. On one side there is a highly polished round bear set against alternating polished/matte curved ribs. When you turn it around, to see the backside, another bear is carved, but with straight lines. Spirals, curves, and squared off geometrics are carefully placed around the two other panels. The square open neck is left matte. Daniel continues to challenge himself with both shape and form and designs.

This piece shows such continued growth on his part. It’s a pleasure to be involved with him as he continues to evolve as an artist. In discussing this new piece with me he comments, “It’s the third or fourth time I’ve done this. The first was the square piece that had an uneven top. Since then, I’ve reduced the matte borders to have more carving room, which I think gives the piece a perfect framing of the carving and polishing. I was interested in the shape, using the matte areas to create unique spaces on all four sides, and I’m particularly proud of harder/sharper corners of the piece. I’d say these pieces have given me a different canvas to create and have allowed me to explore contemporary shapes and still pay homage to a traditional look.”

6 ½” high by 6 ½” wide