Believe it or not, the puffer fish idea came up as a self portrait.

One morning I looked at myself in the mirror and thought about this big eyed, puffy fish.

Flash forward to a woodfiring course I was teaching in Salemi, we were talking about spirit or guide animals, and researching the symbolism behind this creature was quite resonating with me.

Self defence, survival instinct and protection, but also a unique appearance which is a memento of self expression and singularity.

They are, as all my pieces, made in only collected and self prepared materials.

Here, though, the focus should be on the shapes, quickly made on the wheel and assembled when still wet, in order to keep track of every movement of the hands, every pressure and mark of the fingers, resulting in a coherent school of fish.