Burnished Ceramic Baskets

These large scale, one-of-a-kind ceramic vessels are made by artist Christine Orr. They are made from a terracotta clay body with a white slip burnished onto the surface in its leather-hard stage. This technique creates a richly textural yet soft surface. These forms could be considered both utilitarian and sculptural. Alma’s prefers to use them as a sculptural statement based on their size. We think they would look ideal paired by a fireplace hearth as they have both a dominating presence and a quiet sensibility. 

Orr is an interdisciplinary artist based in Richmond, Virginia. Working in clay, weaving, basketry, paper-making and poetry, her practice critically navigates how humans have co-evolved with objects. Orr investigates material culture’s role in our understanding of domestic and utilitarian items. 

This research connects objects and what they are made from as well as their metaphorical and symbolic potential. Orr received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 2015. She completed her Master of Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University in the Craft/Material Studies Department in 2021.