I’ve come across a few of Wayne Ngan’s stoneware vessels decorated with different birds, depicted beautifully with iron-oxide stain under a clear glaze. There is something deeply satisfying about Ngan’s brushwork: he portrays each bird with only a few, quick yet assured gestures. 

Like the best ink wash paintings from Asia, Ngan balances spontaneity with lifelike portrayal. Seen from a distance, the bird appears incredibly real; but up close you can see each brushstroke. And his composition, balancing positive and negative space, situates the bird perfectly inside the bowl’s rim, framed by a circle of iron-oxide wash. This makes for a beautiful bowl but it would also work well hung on the wall.