Some vessels, like Kurt Weiser’s Vague Trail, have fronts, backs, and sides.

Kurt Weiser, United States, Vague Trail, 2001, porcelain, 15.25 x 18 x 7”

Many round vessels (such as bowls, dishes, jars, bottles, goblets, vases, and beakers) have no obvious fronts, backs, or sides. If held at eye level without tipping, a round vessel like Vivka and Otto Heino’s “Rough Pot” looks the same from all directions.

Vivka and Otto Heino, American, 1982, rough pot, stoneware, 10 7/8” by 13 3/4”, purchased with funds from the Arizona State University Museum Store, Arizona State University Art Museum

It looks perfectly round when viewed from directly above.

Ceramists who make round vessels have lots of decisions to make about proportions as they decide about the size relationships between parts of their vessels.

The parts of symmetrical, round ceramic vessels have traditional names based on human body parts. Parts are labeled on this vessel.

Catherine Hiersoux, American, 1985, tall porcelain vase, porcelain, 19 1/2” by 7”, purchased with funds from the NEA matching funds grant, Arizona State University Art Museum

Although there are no firm rules that define each vessel form, traditionally a bottle is taller than it is wide and it has a neck.

Susan Peterson, American, 1985, tall bottle, ceramic, 16 1/2” by 5 1/4”, courtesy of the artist, Arizona State University Art Museum

Most jars are as tall or taller than they are wide, like this piece by Karen Karnes. Their mouths and base are often similar in width. Many jars have lids.

Karen Karnes, American, covered dish, ceramic, 12 1/2” by 9 3/4”, gift of the Joanne Rapp Gallery/ The Hand and The Spirit, Arizona State University Art Museum

The mouth of a bowl is often its widest part, like these bowls by Karen Karnes and Susan Peterson. Bowls don’t usually have necks or shoulders.

Karen Karnes, American, mid 1970’s, bowl, stoneware, 6 3/4” by 14 3/4”, gift on Anne and Sam Davis, Arizona State University Art Museum

Susan Peterson, American, bowl, ceramic, 4” by 12”, courtesy of the artist, Arizona State University Art Museum

A goblet is a drinking cup without a handle that stands on a long foot or stem.

Warren MacKenzie, American, goblets, stoneware, 4 1/2” by 3 1/4” each, gift of Sara and David Lieberman, Arizona State University Art Museum

A dish, plate, or platter usually has no neck or shoulder and is shorter than it is wide.

Warren Mackenzie, American, platter, stoneware, 2” by 13 1/8”,
gift of Sara and David Lieberman, Arizona State University Art Museum

Ceramists change the proportions of parts in relationship to each other in an infinite number of ways. Warren MacKenzie describes his decision making process as one piece evolves into the next. “One pot suggests another, proportions are altered, curves are filled out or made more angular, a different termination or beginning of a line is tried -- not searching for the perfect pot, but exploring and making a statement with the language of the hand” (MacKenzie quoted by Peterson, 2000, p. 170).

The artist is talking about how he gets ideas for new pots by making small changes from his earlier pots, about how he never expects to make a perfect pot, and about how he uses his hands to make pots that express ideas and feelings, rather as speakers use their voices to express ideas and feelings in words.
Some vessels are made as much or more to be interesting to look at or to be expressive as to be functional.

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