Octopus Pottery

 

The Minoans (the island of Crete) were early potters, we're talking Bronze Age stuff, like 3000 - 1200B.C. who reached great heights of artistic expression.  Their early work involved light-on-dark and dark-on-light decorations on various forms including cups, vases, amphora, ewers, rhytons, and theh like.  As their work  progressed through the middle and late phases of their pottery gradually evolved.  

 

In my opinion, their most attractive pieces were influenced by the life form in the sea that surrounded them.  A particular obsession of mine has been with the Late Minoan octopus vases.  Few of these vessels have survived and are priceless museum pieces.  Rather than robbing a museum I, with the assistance of a very gifted graphic artist by the name of Sarah Snavely, created several octopus pots of our own.  I threw the pieces; she did the sgraffito work; and I created and applied the glaze.   I love these.