Thomas Aitken
Thomas’ work celebrates the functional object, its history and associations. Each piece of his hand-produced porcelain is intended to delight the eye, to please the touch, and to satisfy the owner through time.
Early Ontario Pottery, Central Asian tribal Rugs, and the delicate use of colour and pattern of the Song Dynasty potters have influenced his work. He also looks to the work of contemporary makers of functional wares who continue to challenge and update the traditions, while maintaining a utilitarian based mandate.
All of Thomas’ ceramics are made exclusively from porcelain. This material requires a high firing temperature; therefore the pieces are strong and the colours will not fade.
This allows for rigorous every-day use – from the microwave, to the table, to the dishwasher, with no problems.
However, due to the nature of this fine grained material, great care should be taken when using the work in the oven or on the stove top. As with all ceramics, extreme temperature changes (hot to cold or cold to hot) should be avoided.