This is a the first set Jared Tso has made.  It is entitled, “Continuance”. Each piece is made from native clay, coil-built and stone polished.  The set tells the story of the squash blossom flower as it blooms.  Each of the five pieces shows the bloom in another stage. The first four are polished at a swirl and are fired black.  There is amazing coloration in each piece from the firing.  The last one is the open blossom, which he fired red, giving it a more traditional style of Navajo pottery.  The piece was covered in pinon pitch after the firing.  It is exceptional in coloration.  Note as well the shape of the last piece, as Jared said he not only wanted to reference the squash plant, but to also create a piece inspired by the squash blossom beads in Navajo jewelry.  It is exciting to see how expand his concepts from a single pieces to a series that tell a story.  Each piece is signed, “Jared Tso”.

Jared said of this set:

“The idea of plant life or, more specifically squash blossoms, inspired me to create a whole new body of work.  I wanted to explore petals and have thought about how other potters have formed rims and made them flowing and soft with curvature.  For me desert plant life is just the opposite.  Installations are about letting me play and be creative.   The process is constantly nourishing my relationship with the clay, but also myself.  For me, it has been vital for creating a variety of forms over the years, which reaffirms my sense that there are no limits.  We spend a lifetime perfecting our craft, but when it comes to our ability to perform, if we are too rigid, we can miss the shot.  There is an aspect that we have to allow ourselves to play.”