What a Beauty

I wish I knew who made this beautiful plate.

Just two simple treatments.  And they work so well together.  

P.S. Getting over the flu/Valley Fever/Cold/Mung/Whatever. Been pooped out for weeks.

Two Beauties

A few weeks ago, I went to a flea market/antiques fair and found these beautiful pieces. They are porcelain lab ceramics made by the Coors company. Both are about 5 inches in diameter at the rim.

I just couldn't resist......Their shape is so beautiful and the form of the pour spout is perfect. The smaller one is only glazed on the inside and about an inch down the outer rim. The bisque is a pleasure to feel. They are perfect on the inside--no cracks or stains. The spout on the smaller one has a tiny chip on the lip that will grind out easily.

I felt I 'rescued' these pieces. They were sitting on a bargain table labeled, Each Item - $5.00. The vendor sold me both for a total of $5.00!

My first thought was they would make perfect molds, but I brought them home and put them on a cabinet in the living room and there they have sat ever since. They are just nice to look at.

Sometimes ya just gotta do something tedious.

I really don't know why.



I learned how to do this technique when I took a class from Galina Rein, a Russian artist who emigrated to Seattle several years ago. It's basically forming tiny flowers and design elements with the fingers and attaching them to a basic form. I use cast-off dental tools to attach the tiny components. This topper is about 4 1/2 inches tall.

After the class I went nuts making porcelain Christmas tree ornaments, light string-pull endings, pins, earrings, and wedding cake toppers.

The second topper pictured has two components. It is a bell and base. The bottom of the bell is slightly out of round so that it sits on top of the base and, by twisting it, seats onto the holders so that it becomes one unit.





I experimented with texturing the base with a needle tool. I rather like it, but it needs more experimenting.

This piece stands about 5 inches tall.






They take FOREVER to make.
They can't dry out AT ALL.
I don't know why I make them; nobody could afford one, I'd have to charge so much for it.

After make one of these, I gotta go sling some glaze or something.