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T H E C O N T E M P O R A R Y D I S P L A Y
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S E C O N D P L A C E
W O R L D
T O R T O I S E Contemporary Unglazed DENISE SOULTANIAN
DMS POTTERY California, USA 2025 5.25 x 4.5 x 8.5 inches Terra Red Clay, Iron Oxide Stain Hand Built Body, Wheel Thrown Pot Cone 6 Oxidation A mythic tortoise who moves freely in his world, protected and deeply honored. In many world myths, the tortoise carries creation itself: Turtle Island in Native American stories, the cosmic Kurma in Hinduism, and the long-living Minogame in Japanese lore.
This piece imagines a future where animals thrive on a distant planet—free from human-caused problems like habitat loss and pollution. In this universe, the tortoise is not burdened by the world, but carries it by choice, as a revered elder. The body of the tortoise was hand sculpted from Terra Red clay. The pot was wheel-thrown and attached with clay straps. Finished in an iron oxide wash and fired to cone 6 in oxidation, it can be paired with a literati pine or broom style oak or ficus. Together, the tree and tortoise tell a story of patient survival, mythic reverence, and a hopeful vision where life is protected and deeply honored. |
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A B O U T D E N I S E S O U L T A N I A N
Denise Soultanian is a ceramic artist and instructor who studied art in college and has been teaching ceramics for over eight years. During the pandemic, she discovered bonsai and was inspired by its natural beauty and the creative partnership between potter and bonsai artist. She pays close attention to detail, using a combination of glazes and stains to enhance the character of her work.
Follow Denise Soultanian on these platforms: Facebook: www.facebook.com/dmspotterybonsai Instagram: www.instagram.com/denisesoultanian/ Website: www.gardeneur.com/en/denisesoultanian Etsy: etsy.com/shop/DMSPottery |
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D I S C O V E R P O T T E R S I S P R O U D T O S P O N S O R T H E 2 0 2 5 N O R T H A M E R I C A N B O N S A I P O T T E R Y C O M P E T I T I O N
