In my most recent post, I (hopefully) gave you a tiny window into my interesting afternoon at the Chrysler Museum to see a glass blowing demonstration and a bit more about our holiday excursion to Norfolk, Virginia. Almost a year ago, I also wrote a short post about one of my favorite ceramic artists, Doug Peltzman. In this week’s post, these two posts collide!! Post-inception, you could say.

While in Virginia, amongst the preparations for our New Year’s Eve celebration, it came time to exchange late Christmas presents with the extended family. Same old drill – one at a time, the coveted packages were distributed so everyone present could oooh and ahhh as each was uncovered by its respective owner, while simultaneously surmounting overwhelming anticipation in all the lowly waiting their turn. After intensely focusing on all those who came before with hands clenched tightly in my lap, it was my time. Not one, but two boxes were placed in my lap, a strange deviation from the customary singular distribution.

I tore the paper off, politely at first, but eventually submitted to the aforementioned anticipation and fiercely pulled back the flaps of the exposed cardboard box, and inside was the most beautiful Doug Peltzman piece! His (and now my) mug is such an attractive form, gently flaring out at the lip creating a subtle concavity where the handle comfortably sits, and has thin bands of clay wrapping around the outside wall acting as shelves where thinned underglaze from the surface decoration can lightly pool. Every detail from the colored geometric shapes carved and painted on the surface to the details on the bottom of the mug to his stamp on the handle reinforced my love for his work, and made me so happy to know I could hold it to my lips while I drink my coffee each morning.

As for the second box, I began opening it in a similar fashion, and to my surprise I found another piece of his, this time a tumbler with a very thin layer of transparent turquoise glaze on select sections of the cup. Needless to say, I was floored. And what more, my aunt supplied me with a post card, hand written from the artist himself stating that the mug I was given was one of his favorites! I was rich in the work of Doug Peltzman, Pottery King, and ever so grateful.

Cheers!