This small hand-built plate, 'White Stoneware (Face),' is an intimate and exciting example of the ceramic work of Estherly Allen. She was a student of George McNeil, an important Abstract Expressionist, and this Expressionist influence is visible in this experimental work. On the surface of the plate, Allen has applied the glazing like gestural strokes of paint, creating the playful form of a face with wide eyes and staccato hair. The result reminds of the ceramic output of Pablo Picasso, whose original and edition work has become a favorite of collectors worldwide. 

White stoneware with black and white glazes
9.25 x 10.5 inches, artwork
Signed E.L. and dated 1/86 on the reverse
Plate has been broken into three pieces and has since been restored; cracks remain visible on front and back