Billy Ray Hussey First Tortoise and Hare Figural NC Folk Art Pottery

Billy Ray Hussey First Tortoise and Hare Figural NC Folk Art Pottery

This recent Billy Ray Hussey masterpiece demonstrates that he continues to be a master of his craft, but also able to come up unique examples which he hadn’t created in the past. He has never made the combination of a tortoise and hare. It makes a reference to Aesop’s child’s fable. The composition is elegantly simple; a rabbit stands fall on the turtle’s shell. The two pieces were turned separately. Billy put them together and added the legs to the turtle and ears/legs to the hare. They were then wood-fired with a traditional lead-based glaze with hues of aqua, soft purple, yellow, etc. The base of the piece reads “BH”, “59” and “The Tortoise and the Hare.” The figural is 8.5” tall by 9“max width. Mint condition. $25 s/i.