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CLAYTON BAILEY'S
CERAMIC CRITTERS
1960- 1963

BACK TO CERAMIC WONDERS

After he had deliberately made a few of these "flopped pots", he came upon the idea of nose ware; a ceramic vessel or pot with a prominent nose, beady eyes and puckered lips.

The first true Critter was simply a nose tea pot with legs; thus creating a place to attach breasts and genitalia.

Bailey says the Critters were inspired by prehistoric Japanese Haniwa figures and by Mad Magazine cartoons. Critters have either two legs or four legs . With their stiff, straight legs, they are static and ritualistic in appearance.

The Critter series evolved into "Dead Critters" which represent an animal flipped on its back, with legs and toes straight up in the air, like a stylized cartoon representation of a dead animal.

The bottoms of the feet become the most prominent feature of the Dead Critters, but a nose and lips are clearly seen peering from beneath the body.

Clayton Bailey made a number of large salt-glazed Critters and Dead Critters during the summer of 1963 when he taught ceramics at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

The Critter Stool is one of these large pieces which promises to embarrass anyone who dares to sit in its comfortable sunken seat.