modernist formal unity." The server is covered with red matte glaze. I became attracted to this piece because of its simplicity. It creates room for interpretation, which I find culminating. His last and final piece, which is very interesting, is called the "Stoneware Vase*" It has two curled spiral handles, suggestive of ancient or pre-historic civilizations. It is a thrown vas4e that is 10x8x6. It is interesting because many feel that if Fairbanks had lived longer, he might have taken on an exploration of ancient or pre-historic cultures. Instead of purist forms, Fairbanks explored the less traveled road of rough and crusty clay bodies, which emerge, from the surface of the glaze. This in turn removed his pieces from any realm of perfection. In the end Fairbanks demonstrated, trough his pieces, the p [positive and negative approaches that he was exposed to during his years. Fairbanks wrote, "My eyes are lazy and dont see well. With my hands I se, and that is good. I can hold the whole world in my hands when I am seeing with them a good pot. Then there is the earth: dense and heard, yet at one time it grew, expanded and breathed; there like seed to stalk to flower to fruit, it patiently endured the potters tactile search. The clay speaks softly but firmly to the potter, it is not afraid because it will always have the last word, even if it must atomize itself to return again and seeks its destiny anew in anothers hands. My hands see the clay and the clay murmurs to them take it easy, youre in good hands. The dialogue continues long after the brief communication when the hands and the clay see each other, they know. They know." This statement was said to take great poignancy because of the last two years of his life. Fairbanks was diagnosed with malignant brain tumor, which created little to no studio activity. As his disease progressed, Fairbanks lost more and more eyesight. This passage softly states his awarenes...
