Finding Some Old 'Friends'

At this point I'm almost like an antique which has led many lives.

Much like the old phrase, "butcher, baker, candlestick maker," I've been an artist, painter, potter, mercantile keeper. I don't usually dwell on the past, but recently found two of my old pieces of pottery at thrift stores. Also a piece I had saved for myself in a long lost tote.

oldnewgreenredo

Finding my own pottery in Chicagoland thrift stores really shouldn't be a surprise---for a period of roughly some 30 years, I sold my hand-thrown pottery and porcelain jewelry (15 years) at art shows through out Chicago and neighboring states. I made thousands of pieces each year, some utilitarian and some OOAK art works.

oldnewgreenredo

I remember this was one of six experimental pieces in this series. In the 80's I had been doing lace impressed terra cotta wall pockets and then switched to the stoneware pockets glazed in white in the 90's. These sold very well, and I tried to incorporate the lace into the pottery, but also make it sturdy enough to use for serving. All my pieces were utilitarian, dishwasher safe, and lead-free glazes.

oldnewgreenredo

One thing about making sculptural pottery is 'problems.' Heavy applications of clay to a thrown piece adds stress and must be done on very wet pieces. Clay has memory and when it is fired--will do funky things--reacting to pressures placed on it in the wet state. Shapes sometimes go back to what happened during the forming process. Warping on smooth edges and rims wasn't uncommon.

I combatted these issues by using a 'grainy' clay that gave more room for expansion/contraction, rather than a 'tight' smooth stoneware clay.

oldnewgreenredo

Back in the 90's the pink/white shabby chic look began---I took advantage of this and produced a wide variety of garden pottery in pinks, blues, greens under white. Roses I found to be a particular problem as they were too dense to dry at the same rate as the piece. Their edges came out naked and crispy, despite the three coats of underglaze and my thick white glaze. I quickly abandoned the roses for sweet peas. 

oldnewgreenredo

I did this plate in 1991, like I said it was an experiment, all 5 different shapes sold at the first show. (One was a total kiln failure and discarded. Trimming on large platters was avoided, as it added to additional stress on the piece while firing.

oldnewgreenredo

Moving forward two years to 1993, this piece I kept for myself.

In 1991 I began working with sweet peas, calla lilies, and underwater sea shells. 

I would cut out serpentine areas of a wet shape and then apply the tendrils, flowers, and leaves or shells and octopus tendrils...These were mostly done browns under white.

oldnewgreenredo

I always loved this teal blue glaze with cobalt overtones under the white glaze. The soft greens were made by using a strong dark green underglaze. Under the white semi-gloss glaze all the colors had the softer tones that were being used in home decor at the time. I loved it for the blue.

oldnewgreenredo

1993 Stoneware Sweet Pea bowl. Notice the finger ridges bathed in the white glaze.

oldnewgreenredo

Found in a thrift store, this little cutie is one I produced in mass. Pink/blue/green kitchens were 

popular in Country America in the 1990s. I produced canister sets, lamps, dishes, children's dishes, just about anything you would use in a Country Home. I had a booth in a Country Sampler store and sold well, until they brought in imported mass produced ceramics. I down-sized my huge booth and eventually left. So, much for made in America.

oldnewgreenredo

The handles were produced by a guy in Texas. I would order grosses of three different sizes, and was constantly running out.

oldnewgreenredo

Selected pieces of this line including lamps were sold wholesale at the Chicago Gift Show. The first day....I wrote 10K in orders and was promptly throwing up in the bathroom. That was a lot of orders to fill in two months and there was still 3 more days of the show. But, it supported my business during the slower months of February, March and April.

oldnewgreenredo

Where did my inspirations come from. Probably my love of my Danish heritage and Danish porcelain. The vintage vase is a Royal Copenhagen vase of a lighthouse on the North Sea. Hand-painted on porcelain in dreamy soft colors....this must have been part of my journey.

I was injured in the early 2000's and unable to throw anymore. 

Sadly, I kept only a few pieces of my own, thinking I would always be able to make more. 

Now, finding even the humblest piece, is like finding an old friend. 

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

Thanks always for visiting. 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

Sharing at these Ad Free blog parties-with ads not in the middle of the blog (I'm going to try and see if this is possible)

Wonderful Wednesdays
Style Showcase
Vintage Charm
Share Your Cup
Home and Garden Thursday
Thursday Favorite Things
Friday Favoritess
Finding Silver Pennies
Tuesdays at our Home
Style Showcase

Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi

Supporting Fine Arts and Crafts #1

Visiting Midwest Artist-Kellie Truppa

Good morning, grab a cup of coffee and sit down

and enjoy some NEW stunning artisan works by Kellie Truppa.

Every now and then, I'm going to showcase an artist who works with an OLD vintage feel, or GREEN recycled materials, or is just darn gorgeous. 

And, Kellie Truppa's work demonstrates all of these.

OldNewGreenRedo

Unbelievably, this was Kellie's first art show, and she has apparently been doing this intricate beadwork for quite awhile. We found her at a small art fair on the square in Palatine, Illinois earlier this month. Her inspiration for this piece was the ceramic medallion as the focal point.

OldNewGreenRedo

 I love the way she echoes the motifs and works them through the whole piece.

While we gushed and 'ooh-ed and ahh-ed', Kellie told us she is basically self taught. She chooses natural stones or materials and found pieces...and 

lets the key focal dictate her other choices of beads and stones. 

I can't emphasize how gorgeous these pieces are. The subtle mix of the natural stones and iridescent beads, besides the intricate designs, were breathtaking.

OldNewGreenRedo

She had quite a few larger pieces elegantly displayed on black velvet 

and a few accessories in her booth. 

One side was filled with bracelets, that my pictures didn't quite catch. 

So I'm just going to show these stunning necklaces.

OldNewGreenRedo

Here you can see the wide variety of beads and stones she uses, 

all had stitched onto a backing and then lined with microsuede. 

I should have taken a picture of the back of one of her unfinished pieces,

 as the web of threads is art work in itself.

OldNewGreenRedo

 I love the Egyptian feel of this piece. 

We recommended she contact the Natural History Museum gift shop here in Chicago, 

for that venue would be perfect for this gorgeous work.

OldNewGreenRedo

Here the natural Carnelian and Malachite stones and beads are accented 

with several different kinds of gold and metallic beads.

 Exquisite!

OldNewGreenRedo

 Here's Kellie generously sharing her process and her goody box of unfinished pieces, 

each one more beautiful then the last.

OldNewGreenRedo

The box of works in progress.

OldNewGreenRedo

 Here is how she begins a work...starting with the focal bits and then building out. 

All the beads are stitched onto a base of felt like fabric. 

She told us everything is double stitched so nothing will ever become detatched or lost. 

OldNewGreenRedo

I love the rustic look of this piece with the wood-like stones surrounded with the pearl beads. 

The backing is eventually trimmed away and the face-lined with microsuede. 

The edges are then enclosed by beading and stitching the collar shut. 

OldNewGreenRedo

Wow! This one is going to be a stunner, I can see it now...with just a touch of bling with those iridescent Czech glass cabochons encircled with stone-toned beads. 

STUNNING!

OldNewGreenRedo

Kellie says, she is never quite sure where the design is going to take her and takes the organic approach of 'going with it for the ride'.

Even the simpler designs are intricate, 

here the focal stone dictates the bead rings in the collar. 

Remember every stone and bead is double stitched 

to the backing with amazing craftsmanship.

OldNewGreenRedo

Kelli has yet to start a website...but can be reached by email, please send your comments or inquiries to her or here, because this work needs to be appreciated and seen. 

Kellie Truppa -- k.truppa@att.net

Hope you enjoyed visiting an artist's work.

 I will be linking here to the following sites:

Lets Talk Vintage 

Vintage Inspiration Party

What's IT Wednesday 

Share your Cup Thursday

Sandi

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway my opinions or posts. Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle