The Hermitage: mouse

Saturday, 16 August 2008

A crock of potteries

A POTFUL of exciting news for you... My teapotted eggcupped mice and wheeled oddfolk are taking up residence on some beautiful handmade stoneware crockery. A little while ago Gina Phenix of Phenix Pottery contacted me to ask if she might use some of my drawings on her lovely pots and bowls and cups and plates, and I am delighted to announce the results of her first firing.

The transferred drawings are fired at 1850 degrees Fahrenheit onto the side of the bowls and in the kiln, all other colourants except the iron in the transfer are burnt out, leaving a lovely sepia toned image.
The titles of each work are written around the inside rims of the pieces and Gina's pots have a beautiful earthiness and artfully pleasing shapes that I find very satisfying. I am sure some of you might be tempted by this Hermitage series as well as her other delicious potworks.
I am so excited by this collaboration, that I am inspired to draw more big-bottomed mice sitting in crockeries various to adorn Gina's pottery.

These bowls are just the beginning, there are mugs and more to follow, and Gina is ever so kindly making us a set for our wheeled home, just the right size to fit our as yet unhung cupboards and hooks. This is a novelty and half for me, having never owned a set of anything in my life before, making do instead with a brick-a-brack of charity shop misfits to eat and drink from.

I shall leave you to wander the rest of the Phenix Pottery emporium and drink a cup or three of tea...

Saturday, 2 February 2008

A Button House for a Button Mouse

A Button House for a Button Mouse.

A quick pencil drawing made today to bring me out of the doldrums of painting anguish ...
I think the Button Mouse came to cheer me up.
He is also for sale here ...
And thanks to Tui again for his antiquery-wizardry .. I think we might be onto something! The Smudge fly has sold to four lovely people already. Thank yous to them too.
Aren't the painting doldrums horrible?