Turning Leaf Design

<p>Introducing Deb Burckhard an award winning pottery with a variety of artistic pursuits. A South Dakota native Deb creates incredible horsehair pottery out of her Kimball studio.</p><p> </p><p>Horsehair pottery is fabled to have come from ancient Indian tribes that wanted to preserve the spirit of their horses in various phases of their lives.</p><p> </p><p>Simple shapes and forms of vessels and vases are transformed into one of a kind works of art. Fired at a high temperature to give the clay body strength each piece is then fired a second time to just below red hot and quickly removed from the kiln.</p><p> </p><p>At this point the horsehair strands are gently applied to the hot surface. The extreme heat from the vessel causes the hair to etch a unique carbon pattern. The pots are not glazed and are somewhat porous. The finished piece can be used as a piece of art or filled with dried twigs or grasses. If a fresh flower arrangement is desired a plastic cup or liner can be fitted into the vase to hold the water.</p>