Lino Tagliapietra is arguably the world's finest living glassblower. Raised on the island of Murano, the Venetian glass center, Tagliapietra began learning the trade at the age of 11 from Muranese masters and had earned the title of maestro by age 21. He first came to Seattle in 1979, and openly shared his unsurpassed experience, understanding, and knowledge of traditional Venetian glassblowing techniques with artists in the United States. In return, he gained an appreciation for the American artists' quest for creative expression through experimentation and individual creativity, pushing him beyond his excellence in execution and into the realm of studio art.

Claudia Gorbman explores Tagliapietra's current work in "Maestro," which presents masterpieces created during the past decade (2002-2012). Her essay investigates the medium of glass as alchemy (its dichotomies, pleasures and properties) as well as the artist himself and his role in universally elevating the art and craft of glassmaking and changing the course of contemporary glass worldwide.

Claudia Gorbman is professor of film studies at the University of Washington Tacoma. She is the author of "Unheard Melodies" (a book on film music), the translator and editor of five books by the French critic and composer Michel Chion, and co-editor of the forthcoming "Oxford Handbook of New Audiovisual Aesthetics."

Beginner, intermediate, and skilled crafters will appreciate these 88 workable projects with designs ranging from medieval to modern, with an abundance of Art Nouveau patterns.

The blue and white porcelain exported by China in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries is an important category of artifacts and antiques, a fashion-sensitive commodity that was affected by the ebbs and flows of style and consumer demand. In this copiously illustrated, comprehensive guide to Chinese export porcelain, Andrew Madsen offers both a broad overview and detailed identification and context information for the most common styles and motifs. His focus on the determination of manufacture dates, which are based primarily on data collected from armorial decorated export wares, porcelain cargoes from dated shipwrecks, and tightly dated archaeological contexts, will allow students, scholars, and collectors to refine associations with Chinese export porcelain, revealing the untapped quantity of information that mass-produced Chinese export porcelain has to offer.

Pottery tells us about religion, daily life, humour, trade, sex, folklore and creativity. Bearing the imprint of their maker more than any other crafted object, ceramics give us a unique physical link to the past, often the only evidence of long-forgotten civilizations that have otherwise crumbled to dust. From ancient Egyptian canopic death jars to ethereally beautiful porcelain, and from lewd Renaissance novelties to sleek contemporary vessels, Around the World in 80 Pots is an eclectic journey across time and cultures. Expertly selected from the unrivalled collection of the University of Oxford's Ashmolean Museum, this compendium shows that humankind's oldest craft is the perfect prism through which to view human history.

Ceramics and Modernity in Japan offers a set of critical perspectives on the creation, patronage, circulation, and preservation of ceramics during Japan's most dramatic period of modernization, the 1860s to 1960s. As in other parts of the world, ceramics in modern Japan developed along the three ontological trajectories of art, craft, and design. Yet, it is widely believed that no other modern nation was engaged with ceramics as much as Japan-a "potter's paradise"-in terms of creation, exhibition, and discourse. This book explores how Japanese ceramics came to achieve such a status and why they were such significant forms of cultural production. Its medium-specific focus encourages examination of issues regarding materials and practices unique to ceramics, including their distinct role throughout Japanese cultural history. Going beyond descriptive historical treatments of ceramics as the products of individuals or particular styles, the closely intertwined chapters also probe the relationship between ceramics and modernity, including the ways in which ceramics in Japan were related to their counterparts in Asia and Europe. Featuring contributions by leading international specialists, this book will be useful to students and scholars of art history, design, and Japanese studies.

A long-overdue advancement in ceramic studies, this volume sheds new light on the adoption and dispersal of pottery by non-agricultural societies of prehistoric Eurasia. Major contributions from Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Asia make this a truly international work that brings together different theories and material for the first time. Researchers and scholars studying the origins and dispersal of pottery, the prehistoric peoples or Eurasia, and flow of ancient technologies will all benefit from this book.

Prized for their elegance, beauty, and artistry, glass bells are found all over the world and are among those most favored by bell collectors. With over 480 color photos, this stunning book showcases more than 850 glass bells produced primarily during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in America, England, France, Italy, and Bohemia, among others. Included are cut glass bells, engraved bells, blown and pressed glass bells, and a special chapter on the highly desirable wedding bells. Each bell is identified by its type, date made, country of origin, and producer if known, along with a general description of size, color, decoration or pattern, and current value. Background information on the manufacturers is provided as well, including helpful hints on attributing bells to different companies by studying features such as handle design and clapper attachment. Based on more than thirty years experience by the author in collecting and researching glass bells, this book will be thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who appreciates bells, glass, and the decorative arts.

When your favorite cup is broken, kitsugi can bring new life. Instead of lamenting the breakage embrace and love the opportunity to create something new and beautiful through mending. This is the appeal of kintsugi. Kintsugi is the mindful Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics and glassware by appreciating the cracks and chips as design elements--bringing new life to cherished items. Kintsugi:The Wabi Sabi Art of Japanese Ceramic Repair shares traditional methods you can practice in your own home. Step-by-step lessons in repairs suited to every level of experiences--filling cracks to completely rebuilding and finishing a broken piece--fill the pages of this in-depth yet unintimidating guide. Ceramics and lacquer guru Kaori Mochinaga offers a complete course in using urushi lacquer and metallic powder in the traditional Japanese way. Your broken piece soon becomes whole again, and more meaningful than ever before. From assessing the damages and selecting the repair methods, to applying the finishing touches, you'll learn all the essential kintsugi techniques, including: How to seal a fine crack or repair a chipped rim Techniques for rebuilding a shard, restoring a handle, even reconstructing a multi-shard piece And much more--and all of it with the use of non-toxic lacquers and powders There's something here for every type of repair--from clean, simple breaks to more challenging reconstructions as you learn the techniques. Assemble your tools, set up your workspace, and let this book guide you through the mindful art of kintsugi!

Only recently recognized for its many contributions to ceramics found throughout the world, the Scottish pottery industry has existed for more than two hundred years. Rather than compete with England's famed potteries to the south, Scotland focused on the export market, sending its colorful and decorative wares to America, Canada, and many parts of Southeast Asia. Widely enjoyed, these popular and affordable wares were usually not marked. Their Scottish origin, therefore, remained largely unknown and--until now--unappreciated. This book sets the record straight. Over 630 striking color photographs showcase the multi-hued dinnerware, vases, plaques, figurines, and other ceramic items that can now be rightfully attributed to the prolific Scottish potteries. Separate, descriptive chapters feature brief histories of the most important potteries, a discussion of the wares produced, listings of the pottery descriptions and patterns, plus relevant readings. Additional chapters highlight spongeware techniques, Scottish jugs, and the "Glasgow Girls"--talented pottery painters from the late nineteenth century. This invaluable resource also includes values for all items, a helpful glossary, and a detailed index.

This lively, photo-filled reference book is a delight for all interested in figural pottery. The American Bisque Pottery, operating in Williamstown, West Virginia from 1919 to 1982, and the American Pottery Company produced popular cookie jars, ashtrays, doorstops, sprinkle bottles, banks, planters, lamps and much more. Many of these items have never been pictured in any book before. With American Bisque in hand, you will be able to identify little-known pieces including airbrushed planters of yarn dolls as well as the most sought-after cookie jars.

From drippy and crackle to ash and lichen glazes, experienced ceramicist Linda Bloomfield guides you through the world of special effect glazes. Beautifully illustrated with pieces from both emerging and established potters that showcase stunning copper oxide-blues, metallic bronzes and manganese-pink crystal glazes, Special Effect Glazes is packed full of recipes to try out: from functional oilspot glazes using iron oxide, to explosive lava glazes. In this informative handbook discover how you can create these fantastic effects and learn the basic chemistry behind glazes in order to adjust and experiment with your unique pieces. Discussed are materials and stains, how to find them and how they affect the colour and texture of the glaze, alongside practical fixes to familiar glaze-making problems. Special Effect Glazes is essential for any ceramicist interested in creating eye-catching glazes and wanting to develop their knowledge of glaze-making, or experiment with their own formulas to achieve the perfect finish.

Making your own glazes is a fascinating and rewarding process, even more so when making them from collected ingredients. With little equipment and following a few basic principles, it is possible to harvest glaze ingredients from your local environment, such as clay, subsoil, plants and seashells, to achieve beautiful results in the kiln.

Whether you wish to make an entire glaze using collected materials, or just want to use them as additions to existing base recipes, Miranda Forrest explains how to source and prepare natural ingredients, from degraded rocks to seaweed, as well as giving step-by-step instructions for mixing a glaze, testing samples, and finally applying glazes and firing your work. Contributions from contemporary ceramicists who use natural glaze ingredients give a detailed insight into their working methods and intriguing results.

Encouraging experimentation and a creative approach, Natural Glazes is a vital resource for anyone wishing to work in a more natural, sustainable way to develop their unique glaze effects.

A comprehensive survey of ceramic wares produced by the Trenton Potteries Company of Trenton, New Jersey, throughout its existence, from 1892 to 1950 is presented with particular attention to the artware lines of in the 1930s and 1940s. Over 290 vibrant color photographs illustrate these beautiful deco vases, lamps and wall pockets, and neo-classical centerpieces, candlesticks, and jardinieres. Also included are a brief history of the company, a review of its manufacturer's marks, advice for collectors, a bibliography, and an index. Current market values are included in the captions.

* Complete instructions in text and step-by-step photographs * Make a wide variety of practical and decorative items - herb and garden markers, bowls, serving dishes, hanging panels, house numbers, jewelry cases, and more - by fusing glass * Full-size patterns, materials lists, and beautiful finished project photos are included for each project

Kempe offers a radical revaluation of the life, work and reputation of Charles Eamer Kempe (1837-1907), one of the most remarkable and influential figures in late Victorian and Edwardian church art. Kempe's name became synonymous with a distinctive style of stained glass, furnishing and decoration deriving from late mediaeval and early Renaissance models. To this day, his hand can be seen in churches and cathedrals worldwide. Drawing on newly available archive material, Adrian Barlow evaluates Kempe's achievement in creating a Studio or School of artists and craftsmen who interpreted his designs and remained fiercely loyal to his aesthetic and religious ideals. He assesses his legacy and reputation today, as well as exploring his networks of patrons and influence, which stretched from the Royal Family and the Church of England hierarchy to the literary and artistic beau monde. These networks intersected at Kempe's stunning Sussex country house, Old Place, his 'Palace of Art'. Created to embody his ideals of beauty and history, it holds the key to understanding his contradictory personality, his public and private faces. This book will appeal to everyone interested in Victorian art in general and stained glass in particular. Detailed and wide-ranging, Kempe tells a compelling story.

Will Lilacwell works its magic once more?Times are changing in Lilacwell. Not only have Jasper and Adira settled into The Laurels manor, newly engaged and firmly casting off the shackles of their respective city lives, but Adira's friend and ex-colleague, Rory, is now also looking to leave London for the quiet beauty of the Forest of Bowland. Sparks flew when he and Lilacwell's innkeeper, Cassie, met at the summer party a few months ago, but Cassie has been loved and left before and is reluctant to put all her trust in Rory, who might return to his promising law career for the right offer. With Jasper and Adira's wedding just around the corner, love is in the air for Lilacwell, and some big changes are coming to the sleepy village... A beautifully cosy romance for fans of Holly Martin and Jessica Redland.

Application of heat to clay transforms it into a ceramic, and thus the history and technical features of structures supplying that heat - kilns - are of considerable importance. The 14 chapters in this volume discuss ancient and historic kilns from the viewpoint of their excavation, their operational principles, and their contributions to an understanding of ceramic production within ancient economies.

In the collectibles world, this durable antique art form is a perfect example of the old "forest for the trees" maxim. Despite their bold designs and colors, only recently have collectors caught on to the value of these antiques of Americana. And the hunt is on. Once posted in every corner of the nation, this durable art form has yet to shed its luster. At the turn of the century, porcelain enamel signs became a standard form of advertising, and they maintained their dominance until the 1970s. Taken down and tucked away, these signs are starting to re-emerge, more valuable than ever. As you page through hundreds of rich color photographs of the signs, learn everything, from how they were made to who was making them, and how many hundreds of dollars they're worth today.

Ceramics and Modernity in Japan offers a set of critical perspectives on the creation, patronage, circulation, and preservation of ceramics during Japan's most dramatic period of modernization, the 1860s to 1960s. As in other parts of the world, ceramics in modern Japan developed along the three ontological trajectories of art, craft, and design. Yet, it is widely believed that no other modern nation was engaged with ceramics as much as Japan-a "potter's paradise"-in terms of creation, exhibition, and discourse. This book explores how Japanese ceramics came to achieve such a status and why they were such significant forms of cultural production. Its medium-specific focus encourages examination of issues regarding materials and practices unique to ceramics, including their distinct role throughout Japanese cultural history. Going beyond descriptive historical treatments of ceramics as the products of individuals or particular styles, the closely intertwined chapters also probe the relationship between ceramics and modernity, including the ways in which ceramics in Japan were related to their counterparts in Asia and Europe. Featuring contributions by leading international specialists, this book will be useful to students and scholars of art history, design, and Japanese studies.

Edward Drummond Libbey was a glassmaker, industrialist, artist, innovator and an art collector. Both practical and creative, Libbey forever changed the glass industry with the automatic bottle-making machine and automatic sheet glass machine. This work examines the long career of Libbey, particularly his innovation of American flint cut glass, his contributions to the middle-class American table through affordable glassware, and his enormous art glass and painting collections, which eventually formed the basis for Toledo Museum of Art's collection. Both an historical and critical examination of his contributions, it is a tribute to a man who single-handedly revolutionized glassmaking, a craft which had gone virtually unchanged for 2000 years.

This is the first book exclusively about L. C. Tiffany's glass mosaic masterpieces, created from 1880 to 1931 at the Tiffany Studios in New York City for clients across the continent. Fascinating and well-researched text combines with over 700 color photographs to showcase Tiffany's magnificent art. Many of the images are published here for the first time, highlighting over 70 luminous installations in private mansions, public buildings, and churches. Beautifully decorated interiors, mausoleums, and domestic rooms are shown along with an explanation of Tiffany's technique of mosaic making and the unique glass he created and used in them. New information identifies the mosaic artists who worked with him. A useful glossary of mosaic and glass terms, chronology of events in L. C. Tiffany's life relating to his mosaic work, and complete listing of the locations of his mosaic masterpieces are provided. This book will enthrall lovers of mosaics, students, and scholars with an interest in Tiffany as well as decorative arts and design.

East Greek Pottery provides the only dedicated study of the pottery created by the Greek settlers along the western coast of Turkey between 1100 and 500 BC. The authors examine in detail significant developments in shape, material and decoration from the emergence of the protogeometric style in the eleventh century to the fifth century BC, when competition from Athenian imports forced craftsmen to use only very simple ornamentation. The twenty-three chapters offer a comprehensive style-by-style analysis of both familiar and lesser-known pottery types, including Grey ware, relief ware and archaic trade amphorae.
With full illustration, thorough referencing and authoritative interpretation of the archaeological evidence, this volume is a unique and accessible guide to an area of study which has often been neglected.

These thick-walled, asymmetrical, and freeform pieces are a visual feast, presented in a rich format with 563 color prints sure to delight anyone interested in Tiffin glass, fifties glass, art glass, or just wonderful examples of modern decorative arts. Valuable information including color and optics identification guides will make this book a hit among Tiffin glass collectors and help introduce many to the modern designs of this important American glass company. Some of the pieces look like Steuben and are of the same high quality. Others are easily mistaken for fifties Scandinavian glass because creative and talented Swedish glassmakers worked in Tiffin, Ohio at mid-century.

Ceramics are an unparalleled resource for women's lives in ancient Greece, since they show a huge number of female types and activities. Yet it can be difficult to interpret the meanings of these images, especially when they seem to conflict with literary sources. This much-needed study shows that it is vital to see the vases as archaeology as well as art, since context is the key to understanding which images can stand as evidence for the real lives of women, and which should be reassessed.
Sian Lewis considers the full range of female existence in classical Greece - childhood and old age, unfree and foreign status, and the ageless woman characteristic of Athenian red-figure painting.