Tung Chiang, studio director at Heath Ceramics and also my workshop neighbor, has been gathering bells over the years and suggested we collaborate to make a small series of wind bells combining his hand-thrown ceramic pieces with clappers made by me in metal and wood.
Neither of us knew how hard it is to make a nice-sounding bell, so we decided it was a great idea, he started throwing clay forms and I began to experiment with brass, string and wood. Many, many months and lots of scraps later, we finally did emerge with a model with beautiful details (including a hidden but exquisite Chinese button-knot hand-tied by Tung) and a nice tone, and we began the actual making of them.
Tung threw each bell by hand and we chose the glaze colors together, and with the help of my studio crew I fabricated seven sets of jointed clappers in oxidized brass and hardwood, with hand-carved– and painted sails. The seven original bells have all found homes, but a limited production version of these is in the works.
