Emerging from my ongoing fascination with ceramic history, The Peplum Set brings traditional and ancient ceramic techniques, decorative styles, and classic forms to contemporary ceramic design. The work draws from the elaborate forms and fanciful embellishments seen in Russian Skopin pottery, and the undying ‘moon flask’ vessel which has countless variations around the world.
The making process involved wheel-throwing multiple elements, joining pieces together to form the vessel bodies, trimming off excess clay on the wheel, and then attaching the thrown necks and feet to create the final forms. Finely rolled coils of clay were attached to the vessels and then ‘pinched’ into the distinctive ‘peplum’ embellishment. The vessels were dipped in a white, satin glaze and fired in reduction in a gas kiln.
To connect with craftspeople before me and my family’s cultural background, I reference classic forms and Eastern European craft traditions in my art practice. The Peplum Set pays tribute to these traditions which should be celebrated in the same vein as fine art.
Peplum Moon Flask 8 x 21 x 28.5cm
Peplum Vase 12.5 x 12.5 x 36cm
Photos by Michael Haines
Holly Phillipson is an artist and ceramicist living and working on Kaurna Country, Adelaide, South Australia. Majoring in ceramics at Flinders University with a Bachelor of Creative Arts, Holly designs and produces functional wheel-thrown tableware and hand-built ceramic objects. Inspired by global craft traditions and ceramic artefacts, Holly pairs bold forms with subdued, natural surfaces to showcase the essence and function of a ceramic vessel.
