Making History - Jamie Dexter

The Mediterranean, Pilgrims Flask with Octopus (Marine Style), Buff White Earthenware and Iron rich slip , Crete, Late Minoan I, 1550-1500 BCE
This Flask would have been used to carry water by thirsty travelers. There probably would have been a leather strap tied through the neck lugs so you could carry it over your shoulder and the mouth would have been plugged. The piece stands 28cm. tall and was made out of two thrown bowls attached together at the lips. The marine style decoration would have been painted on the piece at the leather hard stage with an iron rich clay slip. There is an octopus depicted on both sides of the flask.

The Mediterranean, Faience Figure of Priestess Holding Snakes, Egyptian paste or Frit paste, Crete, Middle Minoan III, c. 1600 BCE
This Faience Figure, standing at 11.5 inches tall, was found in the Palace of Knossos. This piece is simply for decorative purposes but carries much symbolic meaning. These figures would have been made by both hand building and press moulds. The figures were made out of different colored frit paste or Egyptian paste. This figure has also been known as "the snake goddess".

Africa, Wine Vessel, Earthenware, Cameroon, Africa, 20th c.?
This pot would have been coil built out of a red earthenware. The lugs were pulled and attached and the decoration is added clay to the surface. This pot was burnished to a smooth finish. Wine or water would have been stored in this vessel, this was a utilitarian pot.

Europe, Delft "Pancake" Plate with Imari style Deco, Tin Glazed Earthenware, Holland, 1705-1723 CE
This Delft plate was made by the White Star Factory in the city of Delft in the Netherlands. The plate would have been thrown out of earthenware and glazed in a tin glaze. The decoration would have been hand painted with various stains. The decoration on this plate is in direct imitation of the Japanese porcelain style called Imari from the city of Arita. This plate would have been for decoration only.

East Asia, Haniwa Soldier, Earthenware, Japan, 4th-6th c. CE
These large statue-like figures were made to be placed around burial mounds. These figures would act as guardians for the dead to the afterlife and were also seen as grave markers from a distance. This Haniwa figure is a soldier, but there were many different kinds of Haniwa figures made. Such as musicians and farmers, there were also women figures. These pieces were coil-built, hand built and then carved into. Some had a rougher surface and some had a smooth surface, like this soldier.

Islamic, Pitcher, Earthenware, Turkey, Iznik, 1590-1600 CE
This 25cm. high pitcher was made in Turkey and was meant for utilitarian use. The pitcher would have been thrown with earthenware and a pulled handle would have been attached at the leather hard stage. Some Iznik pottery was tin glazed and others used white slip and underglazes with clear glaze. The decoration is typical Iznic imagery.

Europe, Dish, Tin Glazed Earthenware, Paterna, Italy, 14th c. CE
These small dishes/plates were made for use in the house hold. These might be considered folk pottery and were influence by Islamic pottery. This piece was thrown with an off-white earthenware. Tin glaze is used as a base surface and the image is painted on the raw glaze with manganese and copper.

The Mediterranean, Faience Figure of Priestess Holding Snakes, Egyptian paste or Frit paste, Crete, Middle Minoan III, 1600 c. BCE
This Faience Figure, standing at 11.5 inches tall, was found in the Palace of Knossos. This piece is simply for decorative purposes but carries much symbolic meaning. These figures would have been made by both hand building and press moulds. The figures were made out of different colored frit paste or Egyptian paste. This figure has also been known as "the snake goddess".

Europe, Devotional Panel: The Virgin and Child, Red Earthenware, Northern Italy, 1600-1650 CE
This Devotional Panel depicting the Virgin Marry and Child would have been found in a wealthy home and possibly used for personal prayer. This piece would have been hand built out of red earthenware and covered in a white slip. The sgraffito method would have been used for detail on this piece. Runny glazes were then used loosely to glaze the surface.

East Asia, Haniwa Soldier, Earthenware , Japan, 4th-6th c. CE
These large statue-like figures were made to be placed around burial mounds. These figures would act as guardians for the dead to the afterlife and were also seen as grave markers from a distance. This Haniwa figure is a soldier, but there were many different kinds of Haniwa figures made. Such as musicians and farmers, there were also women figures. These pieces were coil-built, hand built and then carved into. Some had a rougher surface and some had a smooth surface, like this soldier.

The Mediterranean, Pilgrims Flask with Octopus (Marine Style), Buff White Earthenware and Iron rich slip, Crete, Late Minoan I, 1550-1500 BCE
This Flask would have been used to carry water by thirsty travelers. There probably would have been a leather strap tied through the neck lugs so you could carry it over your shoulder and the mouth would have been plugged. The piece stands 28cm. tall and was made out of two thrown bowls attached together at the lips. The marine style decoration would have been painted on the piece at the leather hard stage with an iron rich clay slip. There is an octopus depicted on both sides of the flask.

East Asia, Haniwa Soldier, Earthenware , Japan, 4th-6th c. CE
These large statue-like figures were made to be placed around burial mounds. These figures would act as guardians for the dead to the afterlife and were also seen as grave markers from a distance. This Haniwa figure is a soldier, but there were many different kinds of Haniwa figures made. Such as musicians and farmers, there were also women figures. These pieces were coil-built, hand built and then carved into. Some had a rougher surface and some had a smooth surface, like this soldier.

My name is Jaime and I'm 22 years old. I'm from a small village in Nova Scotia called Brooklyn. I moved to Halifax after high school to attend NSCAD. I started university thinking I would focus on painting. I moved towards photography for a bit but totally fell for ceramics during my second year of school. I will be graduating in December 2008 and hope to do some travelling afterwards. As of now I've participated in several group ceramic shows and have sold some work here and there. I've done one commision for a cultural centre in Liverpool, N.S. and have donated art work to community auctions for the past several years.

The "history as inspiration" class has been so great! I've seen many of the ceramic objects before in slide lectures and while doing research, and i've always felt i've had a basic understanding about what they were all about; methods, materials, etc... But while actually re-making these objects you get a whole other feeling of understanding. I feel like I got to experience maybe some of the same thoughts that the actual historic makers had thought. Like how to solve certain problems with building or glazing, for example. I think that's so cool!

I also would never have made the objects I've made without participating in this class. Some of the peices, I just didn't think i would be capable of making I guess. It's a real confident builder. It was also extremely challenging, especially with the time limit we were given. I've gained so much information from these past 6 weeks!