Thomas Marrinson attempts “to make a simple, uncomplicated form that we encounter daily—a bowl—and imbue it with wonder and illusion. Is it glowing from within? Is it filled with color, or is it bottomless?"

These decorative vessels are studies in simplicity and grace of form. Juxtaposed colors enliven each other, while the luminosity of the interior surface attracts the viewer to its bottomless feel. The bowl form, while typically functional, becomes a sculptural and contemplative object that has elements of illusion.

Every bowl begins as a slab of white earthenware clay that is draped over a form, then put on the wheel to create the initial shape. When dry, the bowls are sanded inside and out to refine the surfaces and edges, and the colors are sprayed to create a seemingly perfect surface. After firing once to approximately 2000 degrees, the bowls are sprayed with water-based lacquer for protection.

Thomas Marrinson completed his MFA at the University of Tulsa in 1998. In 2000, he moved to Vermont where he worked in sculptural and functional clay until partnering with potter Emily Rossheim in 2006. After eight years partnering as Rossheim/Marrinson Studios, Emily retired and Thomas Marrinson Studio was formed to carry on the work of creating the beautiful decorative bowls you see today.