V O I D   G A R D E N

GAYLE FIATO
New York, USA
2025
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7.5 x 7.5 x 4 inches
Clay, Half Thrown, Half Man Handled
Wood Fired, ​Cone 10

Void Garden reimagines the bonsai container as a sculptural vessel formed in orbit—a product of partial gravity and aesthetics unbound by Earth. Inspired by coral, decay, and lunar erosion, its porous limbs and negative space evoke life adapting to alien terrain.

Designed for exposed-root or windswept bonsai, the form encourages cascading and contorted movement, unifying tree and container into a single expression. Fired to vitrification, it’s both experimental and functional—ready for Earth or the stars.

​Void Garden is more than a pot—it’s a vision of bonsai evolving beyond its origins, a symbol of resilience in unfamiliar worlds.

A B O U T   G A Y L E   F I A T O

Nearly 50 years ago, I took a few ceramics classes in college—not out of passion, but mostly to qualify for free daycare for my daughter. Clay didn’t capture me then. Life moved on, and so did I. Years later, as retirement neared, I stumbled upon a wood kiln just a few miles from home. I visited during a firing, curious. Bought some clay. Got my hands muddy. Took a shift at the kiln. That was the beginning.

Now, I’m completely drawn in—fueled by process, with minimal training and modest skill—and still hesitate to call myself an artist. What I do have is a Wabi Sabi sensibility—an organic aesthetic rooted in simplicity and quiet imperfection. The work that satisfies me most begins when the clay feels right in my hands—when it invites touch, twist, and tension within its natural limits.
In return, I treat it gently. I avoid chemicals, choosing instead to honor the clay with the warmth of wood fire. I use a variety of clays, ashes, woods, and minerals—transforming them into vessels meant to hold living trees.

​Nature has been my teacher. Her lessons are folded into every piece.


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Follow Gayle Fiato on these platforms:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/gayle.fiato
Instagram: www.instagram.com/fiatogayle/

T H A N K   Y O U   T O   O U R   S P O N S O R S

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

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