My work often begins with a fascination for handmade objects — pottery, carved wood, worn stone. These forms carry a silent record of human presence.
In Relics of the Sea, the familiar language of still life is reimagined through the lens of archaeology and maritime history. The painting references ancient amphorae recovered from shipwrecks — vessels that once transported wine, oil, and grain across vast trade routes before disappearing beneath the sea for centuries.
The composition echoes the way these containers were historically stored: tightly stacked in the belly of merchant ships, forming quiet architectures of function and survival. When discovered today, they often remain clustered exactly as they were packed, preserved by sand, pressure, and time.
The painting’s sculptural surface is central to the work. Thick layers of texture mimic mineral buildup, erosion, and saltwater transformation. Rather than depicting amphorae, the work aims to embody them — blurring the boundary between painting and artifact.
Warm terracotta tones emerge through veils of ash, stone, and oxidized browns, suggesting the long journey from handcrafted object to historical relic. The vessels appear suspended between concealment and revelation, evoking the moment of rediscovery when the sea releases its cargo back to the world.
This piece invites reflection on the quiet endurance of handmade objects and the stories they carry across time.
