Manta Mantra

Seen from all postures
Lye him down and see him smile
Stand him up!
Height 53cm x width 30cm x depth 30cm
ON a dive trip to Similan Islands with friends, our primary objective was to encounter some Manta rays. We chanted. Our mantra;MANTA. It worked. We got to experience some wonderful, up-close moments some of these graceful, beautiful, playful giants. It was a magic moment.
Manta Mantra is, once again, a sculpture to be appreciated from all angles. He can lie down, giving the image of flying/swimming. The unglazed foot reveals the cavity and feeding mandibles. Or he can stand up on the mandibles, in the posture of a dive.
The manta has some deep, highlighted cracks in his body. The cracks add a thoughtful dimension to the sculpture, hinting at the cracks in the fragile environment he swims in. But these cracks also add beauty and are highlighted with the liquid blue glaze that I love to use.