Composite Vessel with Stripes

About Composite Vessel with Stripes

This contemporary ceramic vessel is by Bruce Cochrane.

A distinguished ceramicist on the international stage, Bruce Cochrane has been firing clay for more than fifty years. His signature style is described as both ‘tactile and dynamic.’ His eclectic designs are inspired by the rich tradition of early vessel-making around the world, but they remain wholly contemporary.
This organically shaped piece is designed to be both aesthetically pleasing and useful. He is known for using both wood and gas firing, which creates the distinctive textures and colour variations found in his work. This columnar vessel illustrates Cochrane’s remarkable ability to manipulate clay into stunning one-of-a-kind architectural pieces. A central circular ‘vase’ is encased in elegant curved shapes. The natural colour of clay finds dramatic contrast in a striped black pattern on one side, complemented by a more neutral palette and solid black on the other. The piece sits on a circular pedestal.

“I live in a house that is filled with folk pottery from our own North American tradition, China and a lesser number of European examples. I have been to Europe three times and to China twice, primarily to get close to the museum collections for a better understanding, not to mention the thrill of being in the environment they were made in.” Bruce Cochrane

“No matter how elaborate Cochrane’s work becomes, it is safe to say that at the core of everything he makes is the idea of functionality—an idea he fell in love with the very first time he touched clay.” Jessica Cabe, Ceramics Monthly

Bruce Cochrane was born in Vancouver. His family moved to Montreal, where he was first introduced to ceramics in high school. Cochrane continued his education at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, where he obtained a BFA. In the late seventies, he acquired his MFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Returning to Ontario, he taught ceramics at Sheridan College in Ontario from 1978-2010. He continues to hold workshops and exhibit his work internationally. In a career that spans fifty years, Cochrane has received numerous awards over the years and been nominated several times for the prestigious Governor General’s Award. His work has been exhibited internationally and can be found in collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art in Toronto and the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa. He is a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA). Bruce Cochrane’s home and studio are in Markdale, Ontario.