Witty willow

Sea monster plate

An old friend posted a link to the Kickstarter video for this product on FB last week and I was intrigued.

You can read about the entire process this illustrator uses for creating Calamityware here. The artist uses the traditional "Blue Willow" pattern and adds an element to create the "calamity". Look closely at the hilarious detail of these plates.

Scary flying monkeys

Giant robot

So far there are just three plates in production but the announcement of the fourth design was made public on Friday.

These cheeky things are just my kind of thing. I wonder how long it would take guests to notice the impending doom on their plates?

Another way to see blue and white porcelain

What is it about blue and white porcelain filled with flowers that is so appealing?

I often look for excuses to buy flowers for my collection of blue and white. Sometimes Saturday seems excuse enough.

When I am not arranging my own flowers I am often in the mood to paint them and the Waterlogue app was a great inspiration for watercolors.

My need to abstract things seems to have won out.

"Blue vase" 24 x 24 oil on canvas by Kerry Steele

If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen a muted, neutral background as the start of this painting.

The first picture below is a detail of the neutrals.

 I used a large brush loaded with French blue and white to paint the vase and added layers upon layers of energetic color to depict the overflowing blooms.

Just like in life I wanted to capture what I love about a vase of flowers. Tiny bits of neutral in varying color peek around the edges, playing shadowed light. Hints of green and yellow like the folded leaf or wide, overripe blossom dot the pinkness.

 Sometimes abstractions seem like a kid making up their own language that only they understand. I know that only I see things through my lens I can only hope my abstract visions of pretty things translates to you too.

Blue and white bash-Scored!!

Today I am linking up with the Pink Pagoda's Blue and White Bash. Head on over to see loads of inspiration.

I love to score great goodies in thrift stores but my local pickings are slim. I browse, get discouraged, and quit for a while. Then I have some sort of mission, like the ORC, and I hop right back in the saddle.

I found the vase and shallow bowl above several weeks ago and bought them for my TV room.
A pair of beaker vases from The Pink Pagoda was on my mantel but their way back to the table by the front door.

 I needed some blue and white for the ORC and I am keeping the budget small because I never know when she will just stash everything in a closet. I went to every thrift and consignment store in my area at least twice a week.

Nuthin! I mean nuthin!

Just as I was about to throw in the towel when a bridge closure and detour took me past a consignment store that I had forgotten about.

They had oodles. Some was unmarked and I asked for a price. Mind you, I was trying to contain my excitement so as not hear an inflated price. Instead she cut the price in half on the marked ones and gave me the ginger jar for $10. I loved saying, "I'll take them all."

Some of these I am keeping for myself and some will be a part of the ORC for a certain budding watercolor artist.

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Why blue and white?

The Pink Pagoda

I am linking up on The Pink Pagoda today for the blue and white bash.

I have always wondered why blue and white? Why not green and white or black and white or some other color in Chinese porcelain?

Early Chinese porcelain is most often decorated in blue and white that came from Persian cobalt, a valuable commodity about twice the value of gold at the time and highly prized.

Each time you look at blue and white porcelain imagine the diminished visual impact that gold would have. Bling just isn't the same.

In reading about the history of blue and white porcelain, I learned that it fell out of favor for a time during the Early Ming dynasty.

The Seattle museum of art explains the red: Late fourteenth-century porcelain decorated in underglaze copper red outnumbered wares with underglaze cobalt blue. The shift to copper-red pigment for underglaze painting appears to have been motivated by multiple factors, including the desire of the first Ming emperor to break with the immediate past and assert the Chinese character of the new dynasty. Other factors are the auspicious associations of the color red and the fact that the emperor's family name, Zhu, signifies 'red.' 

I am so glad that trend did not take hold. The export trade that began in the early 14th century continued to drive demand for blue and white.

Porcelain decorated only in blue pigment painted under the glaze dominated the export trade until the very end of the seventeenth century.

 By the late nineteenth century, Chinese export porcelains, especially blue-and-white ware, had achieved a status in this country above the merely utilitarian. Looked upon with nostalgia, they became emblematic of the colonial era.

What was the best thing you bought in 2012?

This morning one of the things I purchased in 2012 made me smile because I like it so much. I hesitate to sound so materialistic but beautiful things in my house really do bring me joy.

I recently had to explain to my husband, who believes that practical gifts are the best, that sometimes a girl just wants something pretty. I have simply started buying my own pretty things. It is just best that way.

I bought myself two of these trumpet vases from the Pink Pagoda's blue and white shop for my birthday. I had been keeping my eye out for blue and white porcelain all year. A local auction helped add to my collection too.

I see the umbrella stand each time I come down our front staircase and the ginger jar each time I pass our living room.

I did not need any of these things but the money was well spent, in my opinion.

The other fabulous thing I bought last year came husband approved for its practicality factor. He pretty much insisted that I buy it and I am glad I did.

My ginormous studio easel has been a necessity for large canvases and it rolled right on out of the room to more graciously host our Christmas guests.

Tell me, what is the best thing you bought in 2012?

Finished...finally and a contest of sorts *Updated*

"Being there" by Kerry Steele acrylic on 36 x 48 canvas

I posted about this painting the other day showing the unfinished state at the time. It took a ridiculous amount of time compared to most of my paintings.

It is large. 36 inches wide and 48 tall.

Nighttime photo of "Being there" shows the iridescent highlights

 There is a touch of iridescence that looks great in low light. It is very hard to capture in pictures but it shows somewhat in the above photo where there are bright whites.

I did not use the Tobacco leaf china as inspiration but the colors are the same. Hmmmmm.
There is a the prize of a small (11 x 14) commissioned painting for the person who can figure out the title of that painting and its inspiration.
UPDATE
It seems that there is confusion here. The title of the painting is "Being there" I just wondered if anyone got the reference and could explain it. It is not ridiculously obscure.
Mom, don't tell!   LOL!
It is for sale, email for pricing.

50 shades of green

Queen's green or Princess green china

Nothing titillating here. I have been wondering why I have so much green china and just bought more. I don't like green all that much unless it is in plant form.

Several years ago I bought this Varages French Country set of plates at a yard sale. I was majorly into French country style at the time but it has a lot of green.

I haven't seen this since I packed it up 2 1/2 years ago for my kids when they move out

The reason is that I inherited all this china.

I love the Princess green formal china ( first photo) that my great-grandmother received for her 1920 wedding mostly because it is simple and because I already have it.

Metlox California Ivy

My grandmother used this more casual California Ivy pattern for both holidays and less formal family dinners. It has grown on me. Sorry, I love a silly pun.

I have her dinner and salad plates along with a few serving pieces. 

I recently saw some at my local Salvation Army store and though it was overpriced until I got home and checked out what was on eBay and realized that it is a mid-century collectible.

I search on eBay every so often just to see what is out there.

 Last week, I got these pieces for $40.. a steal!

I have a few of the platters but was thrilled to get the pitcher and that darling little divided dish in the center. I actually use the pieces that I have but never seem to have enough serving pieces.

Now I do even if it is green.

In my next life I think I want this...

Mottahedeh Tobacco Leaf

it makes me weak kneed. It might even work with the Princess Green china.
 I wouldn't kick this out of the dining room either.

Motttahedeh Red Dragon

Do you like your china? What pattern is it?