contrasts

I went yesterday on a ceramics tour while in London.
I saw this astonishing Japanese "flame pot" in the British Museum and marvelled at its intricacy and the date of its making, 3000 BC.
The narrow base of the pot was immersed into the ashes of the fire and tests on remaining fragments of food show that it was used for making a "soup" with berries and nuts.

Then I was tempted by a nest of stunning Karen Downing pots which they found for me in a cupboard in the wonderful contemporary ceramics shop just cross the road in Russell Street. "Have you got some of her work I could look at?" was answered by a rummaging in a deep cupboard with pots piling up on the floor and her work was unearthed. It was too heavy to carry home so it has to go on the wish list for a while!

This photograph does not do justice to her cool, elegant stacking pieces.