Roger Calhoun Signed Raku Ceramic Vase — Multicolor Metallic Glaze

This large hand-thrown raku vase is a signature work by Mesa, Arizona studio potter Roger Calhoun — founder of Firework Pottery and an active artist represented by galleries including Ian Russell Gallery. The form is architectural: a tall, waisted silhouette with a subtly squared cross-section and an asymmetric, undulating rim that reads as gesture rather than accident. The glaze surface is the main event — bold zones of deep orange-red, violet-purple, acid yellow, cobalt blue, and sage green cascade across the body, separated by sharp compositional breaks and unified by the characteristic raku crackle Calhoun calls a "fire dance." Each piece is unrepeatable; Calhoun has said he doesn't know what a finished work will look like until he opens the reduction chamber. The vase is signed "R. Calhoun" on the body in the artist's hand. At 18½" tall, it sits at the upper scale of his publicly circulating work.

The lot includes the original Firework Pottery artist bio card and the original purchase receipt documenting the piece as an "RC Vase" sold for $195 — complete provenance from first sale.

CONDITION

Good. The raku crackle, smoke-flash marks, glaze pitting, and surface texture across the body are inherent to the firing process and fully intentional. Glaze pooling at the rim is present and consistent with the artist's technique. Scattered light surface abrasions visible; no chips, structural cracks, or repairs detected.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Overall: 18½" H × 8½" W × 6" D
• Weight: 8 lbs 4 oz
• Medium: Hand-thrown ceramic, raku fired
• Finish: Multicolor metallic oxide glaze with raku crackle
• Signed: R. Calhoun (on body)
• Studio: Firework Pottery, Mesa, Arizona
• Provenance: Original purchase receipt and artist bio card included with lot
• Campbell's Soup Can (4" H) Shown for Scale