Petit porte-fleurs Olive Bird

A softly gourd-shaped vessel in a reactive glaze — sage and teal pooling in the recesses, breaking rust-terracotta wherever the form rises.

The body is ribbed with short vertical strokes low down, and pierced with almond openings around the shoulder that hold short stems upright. A small bird sits on the top, plainly modelled, facing out. Raw clay shows at the foot, warm against all that cool green.

Made for a few stems at a time, cut short — and it holds its own as a closed form on a shelf.

Key details: Glazed ceramic with reactive sage-and-rust glaze, pierced top and bird finial. Unglazed clay foot.