In this video Michelle Erickson recreates an 18th-century agateware teapot in the V&A's collection. Michelle Erickson was Ceramics Resident: World Class Maker at the V&A, July -- September 2012
That's so true. Also, to consider that more or less everything that's obvious to us today was initially unknown has blown someone's mind when he first discovered it - kinda humbling.
Whenever I go to a museum, I see normal items that were made in extraordinary ways. Videos like these help me see an old piece and imagine it when it was first made, and the beauty that it must have held before fading away.
"I'm cutting my model in half to test...." True artist...able to create beautiful work, yet willing to destroy the same work to reach a higher standard. Reminds me of painting class where our teacher would walk by and mess up our paintings on purpose, to keep us from becoming overly committed to one direction.
Eternal gratitude to Michelle Erickson for researching so thoroughly into clay in order to demonstrate it's fabrication into agateware. Truly astonishing to see so much dedication going into the reproduction of a single unique art item. Especially for us art lovers living so far away from the Victoria and Albert Museum. I am sending the artist and the finished agateware a virtual hug (I can't help it, I am weird like that!) 😍💖🙏🏻👌🏻😲✨
Dustin Bess No, ceramics does not age like that, there are literally porcelain pots from over a thousand years ago that look just like the day were taken out of the kilin. There is clearly a level of skill which has not been bridged yet and techniques which have not been used yet.
i agree, the pattern on the original looks more natural and probably made by people with lots of practice (either from mass production, training, or practice with the technique)
I love how when she puts in the teapot, it's all white because of the glaze and then she opens the kiln lid and BOOM. This beautiful multicolored teapot is revealed. It's almost like magic.
Gosh she made it look so effortless, but a lot of time and trial and error went into making this. I miss pottery so much. I loved making glazes, and throwing things on the wheel!
It's somehow possible, because the shape of the vessel in which you brew your drink has some impact on the whole process, for example due to the amount of steam that can leak out through the lid and so on, and because I believe in the past people paid more attention to such details, a modern copy of the then teapot would probably had similar qualities - if the original had them in the first place, as we might suspect it did.
I'm stunned by this. Erickson's commentary is perfectly concise and intelligent. This video sets a standard that very few videos of any sort could equal.
@@Locke3OOO Alexandra is right, object permanence is just knowing that an object doesn’t fail to exist if it’s suddenly put behind another object. Very few people have photographic memory, so the ability to compare small details and direct comparisons of a greater magnitude isn’t an innate ability.
..am I the only one who held their breath while watcing this as if it where a murder mysery about to unravel? The levels of pure genius and dedication here is stupefying and inspiring.
The process of layering, rolling, re-billeting, cutting, and re-arranging of the clays is very reminiscent of the process of making complex weld patterns in steel.
It's similar in some ways to how sweets were made and even how patterned swords were made. Beautiful teapot by the way and it would be lovely to spend an afternoon with the artist drinking tea out of the teapot and discussing art.
Never underestimate the creativity and the curiosity of the human spirit. Absolutely remarkable work, I don’t know which is more astounding, creating this in the first place or reverse engineering it 150 years later.
This is a gorgeous piece of art and the research and attention to detail is stunning. This video is so amazing and relaxing to watch. Thanks for the insight into your creative process with this piece!
In the beginning I just saw an old weirdly colored teapot, now that you showed the process, I think I can appreciate it more, suddenly it's more beautiful, and I realize that the hands of craftsmen made this many years ago.
This series of videos are simply wonderful ! It helps us appreciate the true nature and extend of the work and craftsmanship behind all those little artefacts in front of which we maybe pass by to quickly while visiting museums. Thank you for this work !
Wow, something completely random in my recommendations but what a beautiful video. I notice the new pot has a more vibrant blue - does the cobalt colour fade with time?
My guess would be that her colors are more vibrant, because her clays were made with modern, purified chemicals. Back when the original is made, the pigments would have not been so chemically saturated.
If you look really carefully on the new pot, you can see that the blue bled into the clay. It actually looks like the original pot's blue bled a little too, but only a little bit. That might be why her pot's blue looks more vibrant to you: there is more blue and greater variety in the shades of blue because of the bleeding. The areas the blue bled into are also lighter than the concentrated lines
Remarkable. There is so much potential for these clays separating at many points in the process. Patience and giving the piece lots of times to rest and bind clays is essential.
I, honestly, must say that of the thousands of TH-cam watches' I've seen this is "hands down" the very very best ever. I have total respect for what you have just re-created here from an 18th Century masterpiece.... instead of a cheap Asian modern and disposable item.
I did pottery for a year in high school picked as my independent study class. I miss it so much! It's very relaxing. You get into a groove. Kickwheels are everything. I wish I had one. Then a kiln.
This is exceptional craftsmanship ! Brava ! Bless your creative hands . . . Whatever the craft, art and even philosophy and sport, in developing a skill one needs to choose a mentor wisely and ask - 'What have they achieved?' So much could be learned from the hands of Michelle Erikson; she is a true master of her craft.
My colleague and I have been inspired to have a go at making this. Great inspiration from this video, Stoke is my home town. I'm always impressed by what my local ancestors could make.
My only criticisms are that she could have smeared and stretched the surface pattern before pressing it into the mold in order to mimic the original better, since it was trying to look like concentric rings of agate.
The music was horribly annoying and distracting and drowning out the voice. Silence is golden. Just natural sounds and voice is soothing to watch. I wish the initial carving was crisper though, saw some lumps after glazing before final firing. This was a technically difficult process, to get the marbling to match. Nicely done! Finished product was superb! Brava!
such a beautiful recreation! ceramics are so interesting but i've never really done any sort of work myself, but i love what other people have created.
Thanks for explaining that it was meant to be a dragon handle - I realized that it must be some kind of reptile because of the scaling, but I couldn't think of what kind of creature exactly....
Cutting the 'leaf' out of the base to make it an oval blew my mind
Paul Petrocco same here, never knew you could do that!
Was about to type that! Mind blown! 😱
Yes! Me too!
What's funny is it is a mind blowing moment but when you stop and think you kind of think, "Well, duh..."
That's so true. Also, to consider that more or less everything that's obvious to us today was initially unknown has blown someone's mind when he first discovered it - kinda humbling.
The level of this woman’s artistry, talent and skill is mind bending. Stunning work.
And patience 👍 I love her explanations
I totally agree she's amazing
Whenever I go to a museum, I see normal items that were made in extraordinary ways. Videos like these help me see an old piece and imagine it when it was first made, and the beauty that it must have held before fading away.
"I'm cutting my model in half to test...."
True artist...able to create beautiful work, yet willing to destroy the same work to reach a higher standard.
Reminds me of painting class where our teacher would walk by and mess up our paintings on purpose, to keep us from becoming overly committed to one direction.
Oh man, I would hate that so much. But that just means I'm too attached to things.
Seems like they manipulated someone else's work to fit THEIR vision and not the artists at all.
hm why do you feel that way? It looks like she reached a pretty similar look to the original teapot to me.
It was just a pot and she knew she was going to use it to test
Wow, you are a true artist. Absolutely gorgeous.
steweythecatdog O
Craftswoman I would say :p, this was fine craftsmanship.
craftswoman...lol if you want to be taken seriously .. try craftsperson so as not to offend the binary.
@@greenrolaids craftswoman is the correct word. She identifies as a woman. What's your point?
Oni It was a joke. You do not share the same sense of humour so explanation is futile.
I'm so glad youtube recommended this! ❤
Lyrae Lalyn word
they do get it right sometimes
enjoiorange 600TH LIKE
@@enjoiorange 7999h0attkcaad2.aa7alq4f
This was the most satisfying thing I've watched all week. This definitely gave me a whole new appreciation for ceramic artwork!
Eternal gratitude to Michelle Erickson for researching so thoroughly into clay in order to demonstrate it's fabrication into agateware. Truly astonishing to see so much dedication going into the reproduction of a single unique art item. Especially for us art lovers living so far away from the Victoria and Albert Museum. I am sending the artist and the finished agateware a virtual hug (I can't help it, I am weird like that!) 😍💖🙏🏻👌🏻😲✨
I think I like yours better than the original.... How you worked out the process for this is beyond me. Great job!
Not even close...The original captures the natural pattern of agate much better.
the original is older and the colors have faded over time.. so i believe hers shows what it must have looked like when it was new.
Dustin Bess No, ceramics does not age like that, there are literally porcelain pots from over a thousand years ago that look just like the day were taken out of the kilin. There is clearly a level of skill which has not been bridged yet and techniques which have not been used yet.
i agree, the pattern on the original looks more natural and probably made by people with lots of practice (either from mass production, training, or practice with the technique)
Zhida Zhou I would love to have the copy
Some just like to admire finished pieces, but I have always been interested in the process of how it got that way. Really interesting to see this.
jhankri I completely agree!! I love to watch these kinds of artists at work!!
My life motto: the cookie dough always tastes better than the cookie!
I love how when she puts in the teapot, it's all white because of the glaze and then she opens the kiln lid and BOOM. This beautiful multicolored teapot is revealed. It's almost like magic.
That was sublime workmanship. The way she created the oval effect was so simple/genius. Many thanks for the upload.
Gosh she made it look so effortless, but a lot of time and trial and error went into making this. I miss pottery so much. I loved making glazes, and throwing things on the wheel!
Wow - what a beautiful job. Ms. Erickson is an artist and engineer rolled into one.
Bill S he he ,rolled... :)))
It's wonderful to see incredibly skilled people like her still exist in the world
such a beautiful thing to watch her work, not to mention the quality of the filming and the beauty of the tea pots and the wild awesome technique!
So many years experience in this woman. True talent.
beautiful!!! i feel like if i drink from this teapot, my tea will greatly increase in taste
I feel the same way, the question is how to get one of these
Joshuet Ortega Villegas nigga did you just reply to yourself
It's somehow possible, because the shape of the vessel in which you brew your drink has some impact on the whole process, for example due to the amount of steam that can leak out through the lid and so on, and because I believe in the past people paid more attention to such details, a modern copy of the then teapot would probably had similar qualities - if the original had them in the first place, as we might suspect it did.
you dont drink from the teapot, you drink from the cup
Deep
Protector Of The Turtles but you brew it in the teapot. The process of brewing has greater an impact of the taste than the process of drinking.
I'm stunned by this. Erickson's commentary is perfectly concise and intelligent. This video sets a standard that very few videos of any sort could equal.
Wow, the level of human creativity in a 16th century..I am amazed..Thank you for sharing
I have a new appreciation for pottery! Scientific and artistic at the same time...
This was such a joy to watch.
How much work, fantasy, patience, knowledge and reliable
proprietor in all this!
Great!
I just love watching people who are extremely good at their job do what they are doing.
Great video and beautiful work but it would have been great to see them side by side without blurring out the other.
Flames 17 most people develop object permanence at a young age. Maybe give it another try
Agree, wanted to pause the video to compare and contrast. Couldn't do it.
@@Locke3OOO Object permanence isn't visual memory
That's what I thought, shame about the blurring.
@@Locke3OOO Alexandra is right, object permanence is just knowing that an object doesn’t fail to exist if it’s suddenly put behind another object. Very few people have photographic memory, so the ability to compare small details and direct comparisons of a greater magnitude isn’t an innate ability.
This is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my entire life. Thank you.
Mesmerizing! She's incredibly skilled. I'm obsessed with teapots so this was such a treat to watch.
..am I the only one who held their breath while watcing this as if it where a murder mysery about to unravel? The levels of pure genius and dedication here is stupefying and inspiring.
The process of layering, rolling, re-billeting, cutting, and re-arranging of the clays is very reminiscent of the process of making complex weld patterns in steel.
Damask steel 🖒
Thank you for your video and explaining the process!
Potters can "Read" clay. From beginning to end. Thanks for showing us how such a skilled woman achieved such a beautiful result!
That is one of the most beautiful objects I’ve ever seen....absolutely gorgeous!
This is stunning. As someone with pottery experience, I know the incredible level of numerous skill sets shown here.
Must be pricey as hell!
It's similar in some ways to how sweets were made and even how patterned swords were made.
Beautiful teapot by the way and it would be lovely to spend an afternoon with the artist drinking tea out of the teapot and discussing art.
Man, watching the clay being slapped around, cut up, pressed together and slapped around again is seriously satisfying. So comfy right now.
I am so happy there are artisans in this world that create in the old way. Beautiful. Hopefully we revert back in many aspects of our life.
Just found this channel, I'm hooked.... Such a talented woman
Not gonna lie, the different color clays layered together looked pretty delicious.
Ah, the forbidden snack. Agreed, but from experience not so tasty.
every so often i come back to this video and watch it again, for no reason.
Never underestimate the creativity and the curiosity of the human spirit. Absolutely remarkable work, I don’t know which is more astounding, creating this in the first place or reverse engineering it 150 years later.
Astoundingly beautiful - you mastered an old, priceless art - in the end, couldn't tell which was more beautiful.
This is a gorgeous piece of art and the research and attention to detail is stunning. This video is so amazing and relaxing to watch. Thanks for the insight into your creative process with this piece!
This kind of stuff never ceases to amaze me.
In the beginning I just saw an old weirdly colored teapot, now that you showed the process, I think I can appreciate it more, suddenly it's more beautiful, and I realize that the hands of craftsmen made this many years ago.
This series of videos are simply wonderful ! It helps us appreciate the true nature and extend of the work and craftsmanship behind all those little artefacts in front of which we maybe pass by to quickly while visiting museums. Thank you for this work !
Wow, something completely random in my recommendations but what a beautiful video. I notice the new pot has a more vibrant blue - does the cobalt colour fade with time?
I think it's probably because of where the clay comes from? Sometimes there is a difference in the components that may vary colors
It shouldn't fade, it's cobalt oxide. I think it's just more blue because she used a lot more cobalt. The original only has it in thin strips.
My guess would be that her colors are more vibrant, because her clays were made with modern, purified chemicals. Back when the original is made, the pigments would have not been so chemically saturated.
Cobalt colour is not be faded easily. Just the temperature is important. Higher temperature makes cobalt darker and more blue, even black.
If you look really carefully on the new pot, you can see that the blue bled into the clay.
It actually looks like the original pot's blue bled a little too, but only a little bit.
That might be why her pot's blue looks more vibrant to you: there is more blue and greater variety in the shades of blue because of the bleeding. The areas the blue bled into are also lighter than the concentrated lines
One of the most beautiful things created, that my old eyes have ever seen.
A deady level of craftmanship revealed for anyone to see. I salute you. Nothing more could be said to salute you'r professionality. I bow in humility.
dude,
**facepalm**
quote "*A DEADLY LEVEL OF CRAFTMANSHIP*" unquote.
lol XD
You are one fair dinkum artist. What you created is nothing short of remarkable. I am truly impressed with your talent.
This is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen made, and I do watch a lot of videos here on TH-cam. This is a masterwork.
Breathtaking! Otherwise I am speechless. That kind of work comes from the soul. Amen. Thanks, 1925lady
I’ve never seen a more mesmerizingly beautiful man-made object in my life, this is art.
Imagine the anticipation as she waited for the firing to finish and then removing that incredible result.
This is technically amazing and exquisitely beautiful!
Taking this class in college i had forgotten the beauty and fun in creating. Thank you! Learned a new method.
Wow, this woman is literally a genius! That was amazing, and beautiful.
I'm not gonna lie, this blew my mind. Probably because I knew nothing about pottery.
Great artist and great video!
Fantastic dialogue from the artist.
Remarkable. There is so much potential for these clays separating at many points in the process. Patience and giving the piece lots of times to rest and bind clays is essential.
Wow, that is beautiful, easy when an expert does it.
Fascinating! A beautiful piece of work from an amazing artist. A pleasure to watch.
the craftsmanship! we need to preserve and revive these old trades!
The precision is incredible. Creative and thought out
Wow....just WOW! That's so beautiful! I'm a huge tea lover so this was truly enjoyable to watch. :-)
you explain in a way i understand. Thank you
"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." - Albert Einstein
Absolutely stunning!
Beautiful art. The *ceramic crafts is her superpower :-)*
The song is
Talvihorros - The Blue Cathedral
fahadkelantan thank you so much i was looking everywhere! surprised not more people commented about it. such an interesting song :)
I, honestly, must say that of the thousands of TH-cam watches' I've seen this is "hands down" the very very best ever. I have total respect for what you have just re-created here from an 18th Century masterpiece.... instead of a cheap Asian modern and disposable item.
Wow, it's amazing how someone could re-create this and how amazing it would be that someone in the old day creating this!
I did pottery for a year in high school picked as my independent study class. I miss it so much! It's very relaxing. You get into a groove. Kickwheels are everything. I wish I had one. Then a kiln.
song / music is Talvihorros - The Blue Cathedral
Thank you.
Thank you!
Absolutely beautiful !! Very informative, thanks for sharing :)
Wow. She is on a whole other level. Beautiful.
Mesmerizing. So skillful, a true artist. Just wow!
Man, how cool. I would love to be able to do this stuff.
This is not my thing but I can appreciate this women's skill she is a master I wish I paid more attention to pottery at school.
This is exceptional craftsmanship ! Brava ! Bless your creative hands . . . Whatever the craft, art and even philosophy and sport, in developing a skill one needs to choose a mentor wisely and ask - 'What have they achieved?' So much could be learned from the hands of Michelle Erikson; she is a true master of her craft.
I could watch this all day!
Idk about you but I feel like taking a pottery class now
SAME
Disliked by Pottery class dropouts
The techniques shown here are pretty damn amazing. Always a relaxing getaway to watch these types of vids.
wow, this lady is a genius, really world class at her work
Amazing recreation of the 18th century piece. Bravo Michelle Erickson
black belt!! :)
thank you! inspirational
Very nice work, only criticism is that the patterning is much more fluid and delicate on the original.
With all the piercings and cutting ---- mind-blowing.
My colleague and I have been inspired to have a go at making this. Great inspiration from this video, Stoke is my home town. I'm always impressed by what my local ancestors could make.
Amazing :)
My only criticisms are that she could have smeared and stretched the surface pattern before pressing it into the mold in order to mimic the original better, since it was trying to look like concentric rings of agate.
I took 2 years of ceramics during high school and it’s such an advantage to see this video
That was gorgeous, I’m so glad it popped up in my recommendations, the algorithm is working!
Great work. Still the older one is a lot more seamless.
The music was horribly annoying and distracting and drowning out the voice. Silence is golden. Just natural sounds and voice is soothing to watch.
I wish the initial carving was crisper though, saw some lumps after glazing before final firing.
This was a technically difficult process, to get the marbling to match. Nicely done!
Finished product was superb! Brava!
Wonderful video! Thank you. The teapots are exquisite! More please.
such a beautiful recreation! ceramics are so interesting but i've never really done any sort of work myself, but i love what other people have created.
It's not a dolphin, it's adragon...
lol yea dolphins don't have scale
Thanks for explaining that it was meant to be a dragon handle - I realized that it must be some kind of reptile because of the scaling, but I couldn't think of what kind of creature exactly....
It's a dolphin. Back when the original was made, dolphins were depicted as having scales.
Forgive the novice question but, why was the slip added at the last and how is it the colors show through the slip after the final firing?
the slip turns into a transparent glaze during the firing
y0nd3r I think that was a glaze.
y0nd3r
Rewatch 5:41
The glaze is essentially made out of silica, it turns into glass while it is fired basically.
The colour was from the clay itself, then the transparent slip glaze
WOW! Thanks to genius people like you , we can learn......! Thank you so much 🌹
So much work, just beautiful.