The Ceramics of Avital Sheffer

Avital Sheffer is an Israeli born Australian ceramic artist whose work has beautiful Islamic inspired forms and surface decoration (well, she calls it "middle eastern" but it's transparently Islamic). Over time her work has become less figurative than her earlier work (but not necessarily less suggestive, as at right) and more lovely.

Sheffer is apparently a handbuilder, which, of course, is fine as far as it goes, yet has always struck me as a very time intensive way to make a pot. Much of her work looks, to my biased eye, like it could be achieved by starting on the wheel or as slab built. Whatever -- her craftsmanship is still stunning.