the life of things - tabletop pencil sharpener animal
£120.00
Hugely influenced by the animism found in the Japanese Shinto religion and in particular the documentation of tool yōkai (tsukumogami) in both ancient and modern Japanese folklore, I see the soul in almost everything; both living and inanimate. My love of the objects around me has led me to try and make some of them in clay; sometimes showing the personalities I always imagine them to have.
With stationery, there is so much personality - maybe that's why there are so many stationery addicts!
This tabletop pencil sharpener is inspired by the ones we often had at school - I was fascinated by the sharp teeth that you could move to hold the pencil, and in my mind it was always a wild creature that couldn't wait to get its teeth into something. This slab built piece can be used to store pencils - it could also be used as a vase, but does have a hole for the mouth about halfway up, so could only hold water up to that point.
Decoration in cobalt has been freehand applied by brush, and after the first firing, a soft matt glaze has been added to the exterior, and a blue glaze within the interior. Stamped on the reverse with a little bear head stamp whilst at the soft clay stage.
WORLDWIDE SHIPPING IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF THIS PIECE.
Approximate dimensions:
14cm high, 8 x 10cm width and depth
ARTIST'S NOTE: As with most of the things I make, my ceramic pieces retain the look of being handmade and this is a part of their charm. My slab pieces sometimes retain my finger marks or other indentations on the reverse, as well as often retaining the texture of my rolling surface. Please make sure you consult the pictures carefully and that you are happy with the piece before purchasing.