Karen Donleavy (Caldwell, Idaho)

Crystalline Glaze Ikebana – Vases 

Karen Donleavy creates ikebana vases with stunning crystalline finishes. The art of crystalline glazing is a highly skilled and complicated process. The pieces are created from high-fired porcelain.  The crystalline glaze finish is literally grown over a period of hours in a long complex kiln firing.  The crystals grow mostly during cooling.  The process is known as devitrification and the final design is obtained by seeding and by controlling the rate of cooling.

Ikebana is a Japanese floral art form − as unique to flower arrangement as bonsai is to potted plants.  The spiked piece in the middle of the ikebana vase is called a kenzan (or frog) which is used to hold the flowers upright.

The arrangement can be as simple or elaborate as the owner desires.