Untitled
Date Unknown

Stoneware
23 x 13.5 x 4 in.
Gift of Richard W. Gold from the Arthur J. Williams Collection
2024.12.58

Untitled stoneware is a quintessential example of Joy Brown’s work. Coil and slab-built, the dark red and gray hues are a result of the wood-firing process and ash deposits. The two figures here are united in an embrace that conveys both movement and tenderness. Terms like peaceful, calm, open, and quiet simplicity frequently recur in the artist's descriptions of her work, reflecting a deliberate and mindful creative process.

Brown lives and works in Kent, Connecticut, where she built a 30-foot-long anagama, a Japanese-style wood-firing tunnel kiln. Brown fires her pieces once a year during an event that brings together ceramic artists for a shared moment of creativity and community. Her career and work have been profoundly influenced by Japanese traditions and aesthetics.

Born and raised in Japan, Brown returned there after studying art at Eckerd College in Florida. She spent a year in Tamba, learning traditional Japanese ceramics techniques and discipline. In 1998, she co-founded the Still Mountain Center with Denis Cooper, which encourages artistic exchange and cross-cultural collaboration. She received the Ruth Steinkraus-Cohen Memorial Outstanding Women of Connecticut Award in 2003.

Sara Eco Conti

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This object has the following keywords:

• embracing - The action of clasping in one's arms, usually referring to one person holding another person as a sign of fondness or friendship.
• people
• smiling