Brother Thomas Bezanson

A wonderfully glazed, beautifully crafted, and classically shaped vase/vessel by renowned Canadian master potter Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007). Brother Thomas studied design at Nova Scotia College in the late 40s and early 50s, It was during this time that he discovered a love for the ceramic art form. In 1959 he became a monk and joined the Weston Priory, Vermont, a community of Benedictine men. Here he continued his art while also pursuing a degree in philosophy. In 1978 he traveled to Japan where he met and worked with five Japanese potters, designated “Living National Treasures” by the Japanese government. These particular artists and the time spent with them deeply influenced his work and his thought. In 1985, he became artist-in-residence at Mount Saint Benedict Monastery in Erie, Pennsylvania, where worked until his death in 2007. Brother Thomas was universally known and esteemed for his mastery of complex glazes and his adaptation and application of traditional Chinese and Japanese pottery methods and materials. The vase features a sumptuous green glaze that absolutely radiates in the light. The work is signed by Brother Thomas with his traditional signature and cipher. His work can be found in numerous collections and international museums including: Aidekman Art Center, Tufts University, Medford, MA Allen Art Museum, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL Bunting Institute, Radcliffe College, Cambridge, MA Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull, Quebec, Canada Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution, New York, NY Davis Museum and Cultural Center, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA Dimock Gallery, George Washington University, Washington, DC Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY Fleming Museum, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA Framingham State University, Framingham, MA Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ Portland Museum of Art Portland, ME Pucker Gallery...

An early ceramic vase of cylinder form by potter Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007). The minimalistic silouette that tapers toward the top and with a s...

An early ceramic long-neck vase with a brilliant copper red glaze by Benedictine monk potter Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007). The minimalistic an...

An early ceramic vase in a pear shape form by celebrated potter Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007). The shape of this porcelain glazed vase is one of the Chinese prototypes known as...

An impressively large ceramic vase with a bulbous body and a long coiled neck by potter Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007). The minimalist modern form might be distilled from the classic Chinese garlic bottle. The high glossy surface displays a splendid shades of dark purple, copper red, auberge and blue, in a copper flambé pattern called "peacock" glaze that was clearly inspired by ancient Jun Kiln...

An early ceramic vase in a slightly tapered cylinder form by potter Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007). The minimalistic silouette is striking...

Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007) a large important Sang-de-boeuf glaze two handled vase.

A ceramic vessel in the form of a footed bowl or chalice, studio crafted by Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007) circa 1970s. Covered in a brill...

A ceramic vase crafted by Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007) circa 1970s. The vase takes a classic Chinese "Mei Ping" form but with a modern s...

An early ceramic vase in a cylinder form by potter Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007). Unusually tall at 21.75 inches, the vase strikes the viewer with its slender silouette with a tapering neck and mouth opening. What is extraordinary about this piece is the complex glaze Bezanson applied on the surface. Three vertical black glaze stripes are featured around the surface. On one side, stacks of horizontal finger-like marks were placed on a brown and silvery iridescent background, characterized as "Honan tenmoku" glaze. The other side, the glaze took on a brilliant silver oxidation in a mottled effect. The top conical portion is largely covered with a thick and oily "black olive" glaze, which is dripping down in high saturation. Circles surrounding the rim was less iron-saturated, forming a more orderly visual border. In close range, the different glazes across the vase displays subtle changes of shimmering, iridescent and textured effects and are visually mesmerizing. Bezanson's ceramic and glaze techniques was rooted in Asian ceramic tradition but utterly modern looking. The vase was marked on the base "Benedictine Monks Weston Vermont", "^60 BRENER" and Bezanson's decipher as shown. The decipher indicated that this vase was made in Weston VT circa 1965-1970, same period of another vase with similar glaze effect in our gallery (shown in the last photo), showcasing the highly sophisticated techniques Bezanson mastered and used fluidly in his ceramic work. Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007) was a Canadian born artist and Benedictine monk primarily known for his porcelain pottery and mastery of complex glazes. Strongly influenced by Asian pottery, often adapting traditional Chinese and Japanese pottery methods and materials to his work. He is renowned for his original glaze recipes and perfect forms and always sought to create something new and beautiful. His exacting standards made for the shattering of over 80% of each firing. One "rescued" piece however is now in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. His estate is represented by Pucker Gallery...

An early ceramic round bowl with a flat foot ring studio crafted by Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007) circa 1970-80s. Covered in a brilliant ...

A spindle form porcelain vase by Brother Thomas Bezanson (1929-2007). As a modern interpretation of "Mei-Ping", a classic form of Chinese vase,...