Hand Thrown Vessels : Pottery by Larry Allen

Camp Goldston Publishing, LLC
May 2, 2021
3 min read

Updated: Aug 14

My deceased husband, Bob and I met artist, Larry Allen, at Arts Alive, a local art event in Florence, AL. His pottery spoke to us with a sense of our ancestral makeup, yet we were comfortable with the contemporary lines of his beautifully crafted pieces. Recently, his work appeared on my Facebook feed, and I was excited to meet fabulous pottery from an ‘old friend.’ I excitedly contacted him, and asked if I could share the splendor of his work with you. He said yes. My only problem was choosing pieces from the wide stock of pottery, each piece better than the next. Welcome to Garden Spices, Larry Allen. – Victorine

One of my cherished Larry Allen pots.

From Larry Allen Wheel Thrown Vessels

“Each piece of stoneware from LA Pottery is hand-crafted solely by the artist, Larry Allen. His inspiration for his designs comes largely from African and Native American art. Larry makes each vessel from a special black stoneware clay through multiple glazings and firings. Most of his pieces involve delicately carved designs into the surface of the wheel-thrown vessel. All the carving is done freehand. He is specifically known for the “UNITY” motif (people holding hands), which was inspired by the tragedy of 9-11.”Each piece of stoneware from LA Pottery is hand-crafted solely by the artist, Larry Allen. His inspiration for his designs comes largely from African and Native American art. Larry makes each vessel from a special black stoneware clay through multiple glazings and firings. Most of his pieces involve delicately carved designs into the surface of the wheel-thrown vessel. All the carving is done freehand. He is specifically known for the “UNITY” motif (people holding hands), which was inspired by the tragedy of 9-11.

Larry Allen has worked as an artist for the past 35 years, honing his wheel-throwing and glazing techniques, all the while ceaseless in his enthusiasm for stoneware and the infinite possibilities of his craft.

Larry Allen was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. He received a BA degree in Art from Berea College in Berea, Kentucky, in May 1978. Larry has an art studio in Leeds, Alabama, where he resides.

In 2007, one of his vases was presented on behalf of the Alabama State Council of the Arts as a gift to Pulitzer Prize winner and author, Harper Lee.

In 2008, his work was showcased on the nationally televised HGTV show “THAT’S CLEVER”. Also in the same year, one of his vases was given as a gift to Liberia’s first woman president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Larry has also been featured on the BrightHouse Cable television network, giving demonstrations of wheel-thrown pottery.

In addition to developing his unique, inspired pottery creations, Larry teaches pottery classes and travels for exhibitions. Larry displays his work throughout the year in numerous art festivals, mainly in the central and southeastern United States.

Larry’s stoneware can also be found for purchase through the Parkway Craft Centers in North Carolina, The ZuCot Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia, and Artists Incorporated, The Grand River Outlets, Leeds, Alabama.

He welcomes your interest in his work and encourages you to contact him regarding commissions, exhibitions, or special teaching assignments.”

” Amphora” This piece was made for the Cooper Green Hospital fundraiser a few years back. The inscription read ” YES WE CAN- IF WE ALL LEND A HAND“

Oblong vase

“Millennium Vessel.” This vessel is in the collection of my alma mater, Berea College. I wanted to make something to signify the transition from the 1900s to 2000. The body of this vessel was thrown in one piece.

” Evolution Vase”

THE PROCESS: a blend of creativity and technical skill

Larry has spent decades perfecting the glazes and techniques you can find today in his artwork. All of his pottery is wheel-thrown and mainly involves a technique known as Sgraffito. This is a sophisticated method of incising designs onto leather-hard clay that has been completely covered with a colored slip (clay solution).

All vessels are made out of stoneware clay. The clay is a “special black” clay. After the vessels are formed, they are covered with a slip solution that is mixed, and after the slip has stiffened on the vessel, it is covered with a wax coating. This allows the carving of designs into the clay. The vessels are bisque-fired, then the interior is glazed and fired again to maturity. In the final stage, Larry highlights each piece with a low-fire red glaze and re-fires each piece.