Inside the Box: Jo-Ann Shaw

Four-Legged Elemental - Fire Horse

3 ¾” x 1 ¼” x 3 ¼” H

Stoneware

$225

Fire can mean literal fire, or in this case, a fiery temperament.  It is a dynamic force and I have endeavoured to instill the energies of fire in the pose of the horse.

Four-Legged Elemental - Air Horse

3 ¾” x 2” x 4” H

Stoneware

$225

Air horse sports wings as he prepares to leap into the sky.  As an imaginary creature, the winged horse represents flights of fancy.

Four-Legged Elemental - Earth Horse

3 ¾” x 1 ½” x 4” H

Stoneware

$225

Earth horse prances on the ground, his rich golden brown tenmoku glaze reminiscent of the minerals from which he is made. He is the only horse made from red clay, tying him irrevocably to the earth.

Four-Legged Elemental - Water Horse

4’ x 1 ½” x 2 ½” H

Stoneware

$225

When one thinks of water, one thinks of calmness and serenity.  The water horse as he drinks, is relaxed and composed, the coolness of water reflected in the colour of the glaze.

Artist’s Bio 

I had always wanted to learn pottery and finally had the chance when I took evening classes at the Findlay Community Centre, sometime in 1988.  When I moved out west for a time, I worked out of a community studio in Calgary, learning to use other types of clay and firing techniques.  By the time I’d returned to the Maritimes, I had my own kiln and wheel.  Since then, I’ve been teaching beginner pottery through the Halifax Regional Municipality.

The horse is one of my favourite subjects for art along with other animals.  I have portrayed the horse in bronze, on paper and in ceramic.  It was perfect for the theme of this show as horses have four legs.  I have also incorporated the four elements with the horse, creating one horse for each element.  And as it turned out, it took me about four hours to sculpt each horse.  I have also adapted my perennial love of clay to the sculptural form and also have produced wall sculptures of horses, donkeys and other equine subjects.  In addition, I like to throw pots on the wheel and use wheel-thrown pots as a canvas for the animal theme.