A unique stoneware jug of incredible proportions, featuring an exaggerated spout that resembles a tapering gutter or hand-gouged trench. From a distance you might even be forgiven for assuming this to be a rusted oil jug that has progressively melted into the ground - perhaps not something that matches Ian Rylatt's philosophy, but one of many possible interpretations all the same.
The glazed surface features a distinctive mossy mottled texture in shades of orange and dark blue/green speckled throughout. The looped '9' handle resembles something of a tail, crafted to absolute precision. What I really love is just how large the round base footprint is, tapering inwards where it meets the aforementioned giant spout. A really very special piece, almost certainly a unique creation.
For Ian Rylatt, it all started with the humble teapot and the pushing of the boundaries associated with highly technical pot throwing. Proportions become increasingly exaggerated, juxtaposing and bold forms joining to become one. This particular example when compared to other work in Ian Rylatt's extensive portfolio is what I would actually consider to be on the more conventional side, yet I still find myself drawn more to this earlier work for how matter-of-fact it seems, simply a masterful and unique approach to form whilst remaining perfectly functional rather than purely object d'art.
Ian Rylatt was born in Lincoln, the closest city to where I grew up myself. He studied at the Lincoln College of Art, then Manchester Polytechnic, before establishing himself as a potter full-time and founding Harding House Gallery in 1990. He later moved to Wales to produce pieces there, becoming a member of the Makers Guild of Wales where his work is exhibited in Cardiff.
