From a Collector's POV: "Flutter" by Tania Whalen

To me, as a collector, this beautiful ceramic vase “Flutter” by Tania Whalen is very much worth acquiring because it reinforces a way of thinking I return to often: that form without excess is enough. I mean that literally as I’ve learned in my work and life that adding more doesn’t make something better; it often dilutes clarity. When writing an email, making a decision, or organizing my space, I pause when everything essential is already there. That pause is hard, but it’s where restraint becomes precision. And this vase practices the same discipline.

What caught my attention first was the uneven rim. It rises slightly on one side and drops on the other, breaking symmetry without making if fall off balance. It holds the center of its weight. That made me stop.

When I’m collecting, I watch for whether the object has logic. Here, the coarse texture doesn’t smooth over the clay. The curves settle rather than stretch. That tells me the artist prioritized balance over embellishment.

This kind of design brings to mind early Stoic principles, specifically the idea that virtue is found in self-governed structure. Epictetus wrote that we shape character not through appearance, but through disciplined choices. This work reflects that kind of thinking: it’s composed, unforced, and doesn’t rely on external approval to justify itself. That applies to how I make decisions, especially the quiet ones that no one sees. The ones that shape the rhythm of how I work, how I live, and what I choose to keep around me.

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