Two Faces

Two Faces is a copa design named for the two sides of the piece — just as Atlantis comes from the cultural side and the contemporary color side. The cultural motifs are etched and deep-carved in native clay, an earthy native exposure at both the slip and the clay body layer.

On the under-the-sea half is the dripping clay color, featuring a ring arrangement of the seven sea turtles of the world, shaved in depth in their motion and movement, then painted with contemporary color after the firing. A very unique and special aspect is the native geometry work inside the lip, where the exposed clay is worked in a pattern — adding creativity and cultural intrigue to this sculpture.

Kick-wheel thrown, burnished, and sgraffito-carved in my San Juan de Oriente studio.

My Process

Every Atlantis sculpture begins with the same Gran Nicoya materials that have been worked in San Juan de Oriente for more than a thousand years: local dug clay, sourced slip clay, burnished slip color, and etching and carving back down through those layers to the clay beneath.

Enhanced slip colors and my own application techniques bring innovation to that palette while the traditional methods stay exactly as they were.

And here is the irony: it is the native no-glaze method that opens the door to the contemporary layer. Because nothing seals the surface, I can come back after the firing and hand-paint modern color directly into the exposed clay.

Specifications

• Made by Paul Devoti and the Atlantis Studio team
• Origin: Atlantis Studio, San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua
• Tradition: Gran Nicoya clay technique
• Glaze: none — all fired color is clay slip
• Edition: unique, one of one
• Signed: Atlantis — PHD
• Height: 15 in
• Width: 14 in
• Depth: 14 in
• Weight: TO BE ADDED

Frequently Asked:

Are designs repeated? Every sculpture is a one-of-a-kind expression within a design collection. Nothing is cast, duplicated or reproduced — each one meticulously handcrafted.

How is it packed and shipped? Made in Nicaragua, ships from North Carolina — no international transit, no customs, no duty for US buyers. Boxed by hand, fully insured. Typically delivered within 5 business days.

Can I return a piece? Fourteen days from delivery, in original packaging and original condition.

How do I care for it? Dust with a dry soft cloth. No water, no oils, no polish. Not for outdoor use.