Zeljko’s pottery has a flair and style all his own. From small, humble bowls to large and spectacular sculptural works, Zeljko had a mastery over clay and glaze that is unmistakably his. Functional ware ranges from the basic to the sublime. To date I’ve found basic chawan style bowls (far left), to elaborately decorated teapots (centre). He used a number of glazes, colour combinations, and was quite comfortable sourcing materials from the earth. Shown here is an example of a glaze he created using the ash from the Mt. St. Helens eruption in 1980 (far right). He even created a fully working solar kiln which was capable of generating heat up to 2800 Fahrenheit.
The scale of his larger works could be nearly 48” tall at times. Take “Undersea Hunter” (shown above) for instance. It was created for exhibit at Expo 84 in Vancouver. On the smaller side in scale, but no less powerful, this sculptural piece titled “Ancestor” (shown below) is only 8” tall. He would also complete works showcasing his classically trained skill and mastery over clay. “Zeljko’s Piggy Bank” (shown below) is a large scale sculpture of the female form. It incorporates tribal marking and glazing of the body all over. The delicate features of the head and face are exquisite. An exceptionally fine piece of sculptural pottery. Clearly art, not craft. If you have any works by Zeljko or have any information to share regarding his art and career, please contact me.
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Studio Pottery CanadaPottery enthusiast learning about the history of this Canadian art form and curating samples from the best in the field pre-1980. Archives
June 2024
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