Sales Day

Valentine's Day Button Boxes
SOLD!

Today is a day of sales here in the studio. I've been preparing many pieces in time for Valentine's Day.

I am so pleased with the response to my hand drawn pieces because I really love the fact that I can marry my love of illustrating and playing with porcelain. It is also a bonus that I can draw little mice and ratties to my heart's content and those images will always be safe under the glaze. I just love that part. Most of my illustrations from years ago have started to deteriorate. The paper either wasn't archival or the mixture of mediums started to fight with one another on the illustration boards. It's very sad to see all that work turning awful colors or fading right on the paper. Such is the life of an illustrator. We create for the moment. We draw and paint for publication. It needs to look good at that moment. Worry about what happens later.

Espresso set.
Currently for sale.

Espresso set .
Currently for sale.

The sets above will be auctioned off tonight. (Please be sure to join my news group for more info). I know a few people will be upset that the button boxes sold so quickly and were offered the way they were. I felt that four auctions were just too much for me and not everyone likes to wait for an auction to end. I also like the fact that these OOAK pieces are rare and snagging them might be fun for collectors. It makes them truly special and more valuable, I believe. The market isn't being flooded and the collectors have something truly special in their china collections.

If you missed out, have no fear! You know me; I'm always working away on something and I'm on a mouse and rattie jag right now. I can't stop drawing the little critters. I purchased so many different blank porcelain pieces from the distributor that my hands itch when I go into my storage room.

First Spring Dance
(I love her chunky thighs!)

Right off the bat I can tell you that I'm having a blast working on some mini plates (they stand on their own. ADORABLE!) and I'm working on a tiny clock. Little mice dancing and scampering on a clock with tutus and jumpers on? What could be cuter? Ohh, wait....a baby hedgehog with his tum-tum exposed in my "Harriet" sculpture. (The lump in the very back transformed into another baby hedgie). Yes....been working on that too over the weekend.

So...it's an explosion of cuteness here. I guess you could say that with the warm weather we experienced this past weekend here in NYC I have spring on the brain!

Last Fire

Dainty cup with original sketch

Today I fire all my Valentine's Day projects for the last time. The last fire on any project is always a nervous one. Anything can go wrong and in past cases it has. I must remember to always vent the kiln for the first 45 minutes. No ifs, ands, or butts with this rule. If I don't vent, I loose my reds and purples. In the case of most of the work in this batch I'll loose all my pretty Valentine's Day reds.

Overall I'm fairly pleased with the way my idea transformed onto the porcelain. In the past I have sketched out the mice for porcelain design, but not the actual color blocking. This time I planned it all out and I found that the entire project went more smoothly. Flying by the "seat of your pants" doesn't seem to work well with china painting. I think I'm ready to take on that tea set now. ;)

Work Continues

Valentine's Day china

This morning I broke the news to my son that we lost Odin. I had been preparing him for Odin's death, but he was still upset to hear the news. Odin was the only rattie I would allow him to hold and pet. I believe that children should learn how to respect animals and treat them well even if they are just children. Later today we will bid Odin farewell for good and then take his little decorated box to the shed outside. The first moment the cold spell breaks I'll bury him in the far corner of my beloved garden. A fitting send off to a beloved pet.

Despite the upset, work continues here. I am preparing for Valentine's Day with a few "mice" boxes and really cool espresso cups! I love these cups and am so excited to bring the ideas in my head onto the porcelain. The work is moving quickly. Much quicker than I expected. I poured all my energy into painting last night and this morning. It felt good and was therapeutic.

New Idocus hangin' out in the kitchen

Another exciting project just starting to brew here in the studio is another JAH painting tutorial (May/June). I'll be creating a roan painting tutorial on the brand new Idocus mold. I'm totally and utterly smitten with this new mold. He is wonderful. I love him! He arrived from the company at the perfect time to cheer me up.