Saturday, May 10, 2014

More Clay Frogs




Here are some more design ideas:

This is a pleasing little object. I'm not sure whether it is one or two pieces; I'm assuming two. Obviously it is made from a mold and designed for small-ish flowers. 

The idea of a frog with a matching stand is intriguing. I like this idea, but I would want to be able to get into the frog to clean it out.







The basket form is quite pleasing, but the insert is low. Maybe it is not a flower frog at all, but an old-fashioned soap dish.

In any case, it could be a frog with a taller insert. I would make one with either 4 legs and a large hole in the center for taking it out or one with a ring inside the vessel for the insert to rest on.
















The next example is an ingenious for working flower holes into the design, By adding them into the lips on the sides of the vessel.

I think this example has a flat backside and the two holes there are to hang it on the wall as a wall pocket.


















A completely different approach is to put the frogs holes and small vase shapes around the rim of a vessel.

A variation on this idea could be a tall donut shaped vessel that could be filled with water and that had taller 'flutes' for the flowers.


































The last two examples are bowl shaped frogs. Quite pleasing to look at, but I would still want removable tops for cleaning.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Clay Frogs
















I once made a frog of combination clay and metal similar to this one. The upper framework was in clay and held up well during the firing.


This cylinder shaped frog is a pretty standard frog design. Good and stable, weighty, no-nonsense frog.


Same goes for the rounded one. I like the taller form. Plenty of room for the water reservoir.

One like this could stand alone, but tiny feet are advised to keep dampness off the surface it would sit on. Or it would work in another clay piece.

The winner here is a beautiful oxblood glaze.



Nice pairing of bowl and frog here.

If the frog were made taller in this one, it would take on a whole different look.

I like the combination of flower stem holes and the sculptured surface, but I'm not so sure it would show if flowers were in the bowl.

Another example.


This is the real winner. Great proportion between the frog and bowl. It looks like the frog just landed in the middle of the bowl.

 The design would harmonize with any kind of flower.




















Thursday, May 1, 2014

Scarf Dancers, A New Discovery!










While searching for the "September Morn" painting and flower frog, I discovered a whole new world of 'Scarf Dancers'.



Most of these were made in Germany pre-Second World War.

And later copied for sale in the U.S.



 Some are better than others.


And can be very dramatic.


 This one met Goldfinger.


After she met Goldfinger.







Sometimes they bring friends.