Panama City artist Mitchell Grafton throws convention down the drain when he creates his clay sculptures. Unlike many pottery artists, who focus either on function or form, Grafton combines the two to create highly imaginative yet functional art works. His specialises in what he calls “face jugs”; artistic and often humorous jugs that can either be displayed for its aesthetic value or used as a way to humorously pour punch at parties.
There’s never a dull moment when admiring Mitchell Grafton’s sculptures. Each piece offers the viewer the opportunity to get emotionally involved in the scene that is being depicted by chuckling at the exaggerated, cartoonish expressions of the creatures and people that he sculpts. Each piece tells a story, yet it is up to the viewer to create their own back story for the characters. How did the jug head guy end up with a branch for a nose? What’s going on between this dude and the octopus on his face? Each story is told in a glorious technicolor of 3-dimensional caricature and humor that is a delight to behold.
Check out Mitchell Grafton’s blog or Facebook page for more info about this artist and hundreds of pictures of his work. You can buy Grafton’s sculptures online through Hidden Ridge Gallery.
An octopus suckers this guy into wearing it as a mask in this pottery sculpture by Mitchell Grafton [source]
A grumpy crocodile loses his lunch to a cheeky pelican in this funny sculpture by Mitchell Grafton [source]
Potter Mitchell Grafton creates a steampunk moster fish as the subject of this jug. [source]
If Pinocchio grew into a clay man, he might end up like the guy in this face jug by Mitchell Grafton. [source]
The tortoise and the hare team up to win the race in this funny clay sculpture by Mitchell Grafton [source]
Not quite a mermaid, this caricature clay sculpture by Mitchell Grafton features a colorful fish and a funny face [source]
A monster Easter bunny takes form in this cute but not very cuddly clay jug sculpture by Mitchell Grafton [source]
