Paul Henry Devoti

My ceramic art sculptures combine rare cultural pottery techniques and motifs with my contemporary innovations in design and color. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in the indigenous pottery pueblo of San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua, I was introduced to the sparkly documented Nicoyan Indian heritage. Through over 20 years of interactions wilh Nicoyan master Gregorio Bracamonte, the values of cultural pottery have become the foundation of my work today. While my clay journey follows that same 2,000-year-old process, the use of burnished slip clay and the absence of chemical glazes allow for exciting innovations of modern color and design. Blending ancient and contemporary design elements, my sculptures feature Nicoya, Maya and Aztec motifs with magical colors of the under-the-sea world - resulting in one of a kind expressions in clay.