Brother Thomas Bezanson (Canadian, 1929-2007), a pottery vase, c.1965-70, of cylindrical form, with a Clair-de-lune glaze, with a short neck, inscribed 'Benedictine Monks, Weston, Vermont, with date code and numbered '152' and 30/4/23', 11.5cm high The Clair-de-lune glaze is a pale blue that resembles the dawning sky, lit by the waning rays of the receding moon. Brother Thomas Bezanson was an internationally renowned ceramic artist, a master of complex glazes and purity of form. Born Charles Bezanson in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, he graduated from the Nova Scotia College of Design in 1950 and received a degree in commerce from St. Mary’s University, Halifax. He had, at that time, also begun his work in ceramic art. In 1959, he became a monk at Weston Priory, Vermont, a community of Benedictine men. He said that Weston was a gift to him and to his art in that he learned from his brother monks. He continued both his art and his formal education while in Weston and received a degree in philosophy and the University Gold Medal from Ottawa University, Ontario, in 1968. He taught at the University School of Ceramics in Alfred, New York in 1976 and then, in 1978 was invited to travel to Japan where he met five Japanese potters, designated 'Living National Treasures' by the Japanese government. These artists deeply influenced his work and his thought. In 1985, he became artist-in-residence at Mount Saint Benedict Monastery in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he worked until his death in 2007.As Brother Thomas developed his glazes, his goals were colour, depth of surface, and uniqueness. He said, ‘Technology is the bridge (or barrier) to realising the intuition. Glaze is headwork while the form is contemplative'. His practice was to throw the pot first, then, having studied the form, to choose the glaze so that each could enhance the other. He destroyed much of his work, if it did not have the unique beauty he was seeking. His pots are in collections across the world including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and in museums and collections in the UK, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. Condition ReportNo restoration to the vase. With a small scuff to the shoulder. The base with some rubbing to the underneath. No detected chips or losses. With an air bubble to the side of the vase. Additional images uploaded.
