Patricia Mullins, American, Unique Porcelain Vase. Initials on underside. 

Vase has a softly rounded, almost gourd-like shape, tapering gently towards a narrow, refined opening at the top. The shoulder of the vase features an exquisitely detailed band of geometric patterns. This band consists of repeating triangular motifs, possibly inspired by lacework or traditional textile patterns, creating a delicate, almost perforated appearance against the smooth surface. The main body of the vase is adorned with abstract, organic swirls and washes of color, predominantly in shades of teal, blue, and earthy browns or grays. These colors blend and bleed into the white porcelain, creating a marbled or painterly effect that suggests natural phenomena like cloud formations, swirling water, or mineral veins. 

Size: 6 x 6 x 6 in.

Patricia Mullins is a ceramic artist known for her distinctive approach to clay, which she describes as an intuitive process aiming for simplicity, elegance, and purity in her work. She typically begins by wheel-throwing forms using white earthenware clay. Her designs are then created through a combination of hand carving, piercing, incising, and stippling techniques, often accomplished with small spades, X-Acto blades, and needle tools. The unworked areas of her pieces are hand-burnished with polished stones to achieve a smooth, high-gloss surface. Mullins prefers to avoid the use of glazes, allowing the natural qualities of the clay and her surface treatments to be prominent. Her pieces are fired in oxidation to create a soft white surface, or can be put through a sawdust sagger firing or smoke firing for black sheens or hazy, colorful patterns. Her designs are freehand, originating from dreams, feelings, or observations during the creative process, and she aims for them to reflect a timeless quality, evoking a sense of peace and spirit in the viewer.