More Banquet Table Garnitures

Okay.

I found some pictures finally.

This is close to the kind of table decorations I was talking about. And this example is ceramic.


Totally over the top:

It's still not the kind I've been looking for, but close.

I don't know if you would be able to find the food with this all over the table.

Some of these elaborate decorations were constructed with sugar.

If you saw the movie Vatel about Francoise Vatel, the legendary chef, you would remember the elaborate work done with glaced fruit and sugar baskets arranged for one grand banquet....

Here's something that might work in modern settings.

I've often thought of making an entire table ensemble to use for serving a full curry meal with warming dishes for the sauce and rice; small interlocking condiments dishes to match.

http://www.historicfood.com is a great site to explore.

And Sometimes, I give mugs away

Sometimes I make special mugs just to give away. When I saw Beowulf & Grendel in Canada about a year ago, I was so taken with the movie that I started actively trying to get it shown in the U.S.

It needed a distributor, but first it needed a track record. I and some other fans began working to get it included in the Seattle International Film Festival. It did get put on the roster and the film's director, Sturla Gunnarsson, was lined up to come ands speak before the screening.

In the meantime, I had played around with the idea of making mugs with an applied streamlined Viking helmet design. I made several and tested different glaze effects, coming up with a final design that worked well both in form and glaze coloration. Some mugs went to people who had worked to get the film out there, some went to cast members and one to the screenwriter, Andrew Berzins.











When the film was shown at the Seattle International Film Festival, I was fortunate enough to meet Sturla and give him the mug. A group of us spent the evening having dinner with him and talking about the rigors of filmaking. What this cast and crew went through to bring this movie to the screen is a monument to tenacity. The website, www.beowulfandgrendel.com, is still up and the DVD is available for purchase. "Wrath of the Gods" , making it's rounds at various film festivals, is a documentary about the incredible problems that were faced and dealt with in order to make the movie. It is also available on DVD and can be found at www.wrathofgods.com.

So here's to you, guys, may you continue to make more great movies!

The Wolf Tooth Necklace

Here's the Wolf Tooth Necklace just finished. I tried to replicate it from "300". I love the way the necklace threads through the movie as a symbol of courage and love. And the use of it as a symbol of legacy. I only have a few right now. They'are handformed, made of porcelain and fired three times. The necklace length is adjustable with the wooden bead.
Contact me through comments with an email address if you're interested.

300

Saw "300" in IMAX format this weekend. What can I say? It's a visually stunning movie. The CGI is incredible, undetectable and married with the action so well it is hard to believe that everything beyond about 30 feet from the actors is made by computer. Having been a lover of ancient history and having grown up in a home that was full of books on art and sculpture plus a full set of Ridpath's History of the World with it's beautiful engravings, the film to me was like watching pieces of art come to life. The true story of the bravery of the Greek 300 standing off Xerxe's massive army is one I've know since childhood.
There are moments when the film packs a visual whammy of imagery that prints in your mind. The action is seamless, the acting extremely strong and convincing. Gerry Butler takes command and keeps it. The accompanying book "The Art of the Film" is a great behind the scenes look at all the components that go into making a film like this. Amazing that months of work and skill boil down to one or two (hopefully more) weeks in theaters!