Teapot, Sugar Bowl, and Creamer from the Black Mountain Series

While many in the mid-twentieth century were using traditional craft media to make non-functional work, Karen Karnes was pushing the boundaries of the medium with her functional, wheel-thrown pieces that married usability and beauty. Karnes became one of the most revered studio potters of her generation. This small set, from early in her career, exemplifies her interest in surface texture and organic form, as well as her love of the process of making.