Saturday, December 4, 2010

'Shipwrecked': Classical-Style Amphora Collection



This is a group of some of the amphorae I've been working on over the last few months....made out of local Dunedin terracotta clay which I dug up and processed, and fired to 1050 degrees Celsius in a gas kiln.  They're based on  photos of authentic ancient pieces which I found on the internet and scaled up to 3-D proportions. I threw them in three segments, joined them together, and then added the rims and handles.

I love the look and form of these ancient vessels. Used to transport oil and wine all over the classical world, they have been found in their hundreds in ancient shipwrecks, lying forgotten on the bottom of the ocean. There's something so human and natural about their strong, rounded shapes.