Ceramic Bowl - Sea Urchin

These ceramic bowls, hand-thrown and hand-painted in Sifnos, in the Cyclades, feature a sea urchin motif—an iconic symbol of the Mediterranean seabed. A familiar sight along the Greek coastline, the sea urchin is rendered here in a delicate, graphic design, painted freehand as inspired by Nikos. No two designs are exactly alike: each bowl is unique, as if the sea, the wind, and the light had left their mark on the ceramic. This one doesn’t prick—on the contrary, it invites you to gaze into it and savor a piece of the Mediterranean in the palm of your hand.

Here, the tradition dates back to antiquity. Pottery made on this small Cycladic island has long been transported by boat, delivered from village to village all the way to Athens. In the workshop located in the north of the island—which has no specific address; you find it by following directions from neighbors—pottery has been a family business for over a century. In the summer, production ramps up to meet the demand from vacationers and regular customers; the rest of the year, Nikos takes the time to create pieces for Athens’s upscale neighborhoods and for La Maison de Commerce Paris.

The style of this tableware is based on subtle contrasts: a perfect balance between perfection and imperfection, simple yet expressive designs, clean lines, and vibrant colors. Timeless—if not eternal—this bowl captures, in its own way, the sea, the sun, and that slightly untamed charm that defines the island.