Artist Jan Tervonen will be featured in a one person show in April/May 2019 at Clarke & Clarke Art + Artifacts. A few pieces of her work have been selected to be presented along with other selected vintage to modern ceramics and in the ongoing summer artists show.

Jan is passionate about mid-century modern styles and Japanese art. She finds their common thread in line and color with simplicity in design.

The featured ceramic piece is a midcentury black glaze mei ping or “plum vase” jar from China. Mei ping or meiping is a shape of vase in Chinese ceramics. It is traditionally used to display branches of plum blossoms. It has evolved from stoneware of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Originally used as wine vessels but by the Song dynasty (960-1279) it became popular as a plum branch display vase. Its name is derived from the shape. The elegant form is usually relatively tall in height with a narrow base spreading gracefully into a wide body. It extends upward to a gently rounded shoulder, a narrow neck and a small opening at the top.

Tervonen’s mixed water media collages on paper share space harmoniously, effortlessly and naturally with the meiping jar in the “Wabi-Sabi” tradition.

The ancient Japanese philosophy is a way of life focused on accepting things as they are and what they become by aging naturally. Celebrating the beauty of imperfection and simple pleasures. “Wabi-Sabi” doesn’t have specific shapes, colors or décor to define it. The objects in the gallery are chosen following the same guiding principals. Natural, “perfectly imperfect” and meaningful. While striving for uniqueness in art and artifacts that serve a purpose we are pleased to have gathered objects, objects of art and artists whose works are “Wabi Sabi.”