Sacred Containers Shaped by Nature

“Pottery is a slow art form that dates back over 20,000 years,” says Denman Island potter Thalita Forray. “Sacred containers and items made from the earth have been used in ceremony since ancient times. Today, pottery can bring us back in time and remind us to slow down, take a sip, and breathe.”

Thalita’s appreciation of pottery as a connection to history, an invitation to mindfulness, and a sacred art shapes her work. Her functional dishware and one-of-a-kind ceramic sculptures embody an aesthetic that combines earthy with whimsical and organic with mystical.

Hand-built dishes have wavy edges and asymmetrical shapes, glazed in rich earth tones and vividly saturated shades of blue and green. Often, parts of a dish unglazed to reveal the colour and texture of the clay, creating an intriguing contrast with the smooth, shiny glazes.

Dishware is embossed with imagery such as bees, leaves, shells, and flowers. Ceramic sculpture evokes organic shapes like plants and mushrooms and sometimes combines clay with other natural materials including wood, gemstones, feathers, and hand-corded blackberry vine.

Thalita is also a painter, photographer, and writer. Her paintings range from figurative to abstract and explore themes of nature, spirituality, and healing. Her most recent published book is Liminal, a collection of poems.

“Art is an incredible medium to share ideas, express feelings beyond what can be spoken, and reveal the mystery and magic of existence,” says Thalita.

Thalita has a fine arts diploma from North Island College. She has exhibited her work at the Campbell River Art Gallery, Comox Valley Airport, Pearl Ellis Gallery, Denman Art Gallery, and North Island College.

Contact:  thalitaforray@gmail.com

See Thalita’s work on Denman:  Studio open by appointment; see contact info below.

Website:  http://thalitaforray.com/