Round Open Relief Form

About Round Open Relief Form

This contemporary hand crafted ceramic vessel is by Bruce Cochrane.

Highly regarded Internationally as a fine ceramicist, Bruce Cochrane has been firing clay for more than fifty years. He is known for both his bold aesthetic and his skillful manipulation of clay that marries form and function. He favours organic shapes and his habit of gas or wood firing his clay results in distinctive textures and rich, earthy colours. In this series of open ‘bowl-like’ vessels, “the surface of the clay wall in its firm state is cut through and pushed outward then filled in with narrow slabs of clay. The interior of the form will show the negative spaces of the exterior shapes.”

"The pottery I find most compelling in terms of its vitality and its reflection of the maker are those who reach back into the traditions of vessel making not simply in reproduction but rather how these historical models are reinterpreted and revitalized to have more relevance to contemporary society." 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 and there 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.