Danielle Thiris is a ceramic artist with Cypriot and Greek heritage. Using South Australian terracotta clay, Thiris hand-builds her works using a combination of prehistoric techniques such as coiling, pinching and carving. Growing up, Thiris observed her late grandmother/yiayia perform daily religious ceremonies that often involved sacred vessels, scents and objects. Witnessing these rituals left a lasting impression on Thiris’s art practice which frequently explores our connections to objects and each other. Juxtaposing functional and sculptural elements, as well as historical and contemporary aspects, Thiris creates multi-component works that celebrate the universal language of pots and the human impulse to create vessels to carry and to hold, whether for utilitarian, spiritual or aesthetic purposes. With a Bachelor of Visual Arts from the University of South Australia and a Bachelor of Textile Design from RMIT University, Thiris has exhibited at NGV Ian Potter, Craft Victoria and NGV Melbourne Design Week. Her work is featured in the Australian Catholic University Art Collection.