The Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia, is renowned for its encyclopedic collection of glass with more than ten thousand glass objects spanning nearly three thousand years. Distinguished in the areas of nineteenth-century American, French, and English glass, including important works by Louis C. Tiffany, the Museum has recently made noteworthy acquisitions from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Glass: Masterworks from the Chrysler Museum of Art features seventy-five exceptional works from the collection and includes a history of glass at the Museum, from its founding in 1933 to the present. Lavishly illustrated, each work of art is accompanied by a detailed scholarly entry that explores the object's significance and broader historical context.

In the Greek Classical period, the symposium-the social gathering at which male citizens gathered to drink wine and engage in conversation-was held in a room called the andron. From couches set up around the perimeter, symposiasts looked inward to the room's center, which often was decorated with a pebble mosaic floor. These mosaics provided visual treats for the guests, presenting them with images of mythological scenes, exotic flora, dangerous beasts, hunting parties, or the spectre of Dionysos: the god of wine, riding in his chariot or on the back of a panther. In The World Underfoot, Hallie M. Franks takes as her subject these mosaics and the context of their viewing. Relying on discourses in the sociology and anthropology of space, she presents an innovative new interpretation of the mosaic imagery as an active contributor to the symposium as a metaphorical experience. Franks argues that the images on mosaic floors, combined with the ritualized circling of the wine cup and the physiological reaction to wine during the symposium, would have called to mind other images, spaces, or experiences, and in doing so, prompted drinkers to reimagine the symposium as another kind of event-a nautical voyage, a journey to a foreign land, the circling heavens or a choral dance, or the luxury of an abundant past. Such spatial metaphors helped to forge the intimate bonds of friendship that are the ideal result of the symposium and that make up the political and social fabric of the Greek polis.

Glass casting is an exciting and versatile process involving chunks of molten glass melted into a mould, where it solidifies. This practical book explains the glass casting process, from the initial search for inspiration through to simple and then more complex casting. With step-by-step instructions and supporting photographs, it is an accessible and thorough account of this challenging and beautiful process. Topics covered include: advice on kilns and studio equipment; step-by-step projects in open casting, lost-wax casting, part-mould making, burn-out moulds and core casting; ideas for experimentation to increase the scale of your work, explore surface pattern and use other materials; instruction on de-moulding and finishing, and further tips on reusing materials in the studio.

Forces of Nature: Renwick Invitational 2020 features artists Lauren Fensterstock, Timothy Horn, Debora Moore, and Rowland Ricketts. Nature provides a way for these invited artists to ask what it means to be human in a world increasingly chaotic and divorced from our physical landscape. Representing craft media from fiber to mosaic to glass and metals, these artists approach the long history of art's engagement with the natural world through unconventional and highly personal perspectives. Forces of Nature: Renwick Invitational 2020 is the ninth installment of the Renwick Invitational. Established in 2000, this biennial showcase highlights midcareer and emerging makers who are deserving of wider national recognition.The featured artists work in a wide variety of media, from Lauren Fensterstock, who creates detailed, large-scale installations using intensive modes of making drawn from the decorative arts, including paper quilling and mosaic, and from whom SAAM has commissioned a site-specific work--inspired in part by the illustrated renaissance German manuscript The Book of Miracles ---that will transform an entire gallery at the Renwick, to Timothy Horn, who creates exaggerated adornments that combine natural and constructed worlds, taking inspiration from objects as varied as baroque jewellery patterns and Victorian era detailed studies of lichen, coral, and seaweed, from bronze and glass, as well as unusual materials like crystalized rock sugar, to evoke the extravagant Amber Room in the Catherine the Great's palace of Tsarskoye Selo; and from Debora Moore, known for her exquisitely detailed glass renderings of orchids, and who is represented in this volume in her new series, Arboria (2018), in which Moore focuses less on realism and more on capturing an intensely personal experience of beauty and wonder, to Rowland Ricketts who creates immersive installations using handwoven and hand-dyed cloth, starting on his farm, where he cultivates the indigo plants he uses to colour his artwork, fully linking his material and process with the finished product. Participatory engagement from non-artists, forms a major part of Rickett's work, emphasizing the relationship between nature, culture, the passage of time, and everyday life.

You don't need much to make your first pot, just a piece of clay and an idea. At the same time, it's a craft one develops over a lifetime. Making Pots is a handbook both for the beginner and more experienced potter. Basic skills are taught along with a background explanation of the rich history of pottery. Step-by-step the potter, Stefan Andersson, guides us on the potter's wheel, glaze manufacture and firing, sharing his techniques and know-how. Stefan also describes how to set up your own workshop, make your own tools, and design, stone-by-stone, your own kiln. What happens if there's a pocket of air in your clay? If the potter's wheel slips when you centre the clay? Or if the pots fall apart as you decorate the slipware? For each section there are also solutions to common problems. The book is founded on Stefan's enterprise and production of wood-fired ceramics with photos and diagrams describing the tasks and techniques. Chapters include: Clay Preparation Drying Glazing Firing Kilns Tools Forming Techniques

Greenify Your Home No matter what space you're considering--from a kitchen window to a loft-size living room--this book, adapted from Decorating with Plants, will show you how to find the perfect plant for the perfect spot. Plant designer Baylor Chapman starts with the basics, including a guide for choosing and caring for your plants, then takes the reader room by room, offering unexpected design concepts and inspired projects to elevate your home. How about four ways to turn your dresser into a style statement--urban bohemian, feminine glamour, sleek contemporary, or natural beauty?

Ceramic jewellery is an ever-growing area of the ceramic world. Although ceramic beads have been around for as long as pots have, the idea of ceramic jewellery has been making a comeback in a much more glamorous and professional form than ever before. This book shows how ceramic can be combined with other materials such as silver, gold, feathers, leather, textiles or stone to create some unique and innovative pieces. The book looks at how to source or create your own fittings and findings, the problems of design and the practicalities of joining the various elements to create a successful piece. The book is well illustrated both with practical images and beautiful photos of finished work from an international range of artists.

A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO SCULPTING THE HUMAN FIGURE IN CLAY
In "Sculpting the Figure in Clay, "acclaimed portrait bust sculptor and author Peter Rubino teaches a master class in the essentials of figurative sculpture. In this intensive, all-inclusive guide, he introduces students to a natural, straightforward geometry that will help them become masters at forming figures in clay. Rubino's unique approach utilizes a geometric system consisting of blocks, simple shapes, and guidelines that instruct students in a new and instinctive sculptural style. With these easy-to-follow instructions and informative concepts, students will see figures as the basic shapes beneath the form as well as learn vital approaches such as BLT: Bend, Lean, and Turn, to create evocative expression, and the Three Ps: Position, Proportion, and Planes, for accurate representation. This unparalleled resource is the definitive guide to figurative sculpture.
TOPICS INCLUDE:
- The Fundamentals of the Clay Torso
- Observing the Model
- Essential Materials and Tools
- Sculpting the Female Torso from the Live Model
- Sculpting the Reclining Figure from the Live Model
- Sculpting the Hand, Foot, and Lower Arm
- Plus Many Photographic Reference Poses for continued Study

Lively, informative and full of original tips and techniques Simon's YouTube videos have lit the ceramics world on fire, becoming a must-see supplement to most potters' educations. But therein lies the hitch; most potters don't want to take a laptop into a ceramics studio. This is where Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook comes in, encapsulating all of Simon's basic techniques in one easy to carry book, from studio design and set up, to basic throwing techniques, adding appendages, trimming, glazing and firing. Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook is perfectly suited for the studio, as it is portable and the concealed wire-o binding will help the book lay flat and stand up. For each technique, detailed step by step photography captures the subtle, intricate movements that typically fly by too fast to be noticed in a video. Plus the book includes a DVD with many of Simon's YouTube videos; callouts throughout the book tell readers which video goes with each section. Gorgeous photos throughout the book show pots in various stages of production and finished results; something that is currently missing from the YouTube videos, so that an aspiring potter can see how the work will look once it has been fired.

Glass can add an unusual and ethereal quality to a piece of jewellery. Its transparency, colour and unpredictability make glass a unique material to work with, but it also presents its own challenges. This book introduces the techniques of working with glass to jewellers, and explains how to decide which is the most suitable approach for your design. It covers specific properties of glass, tips for design and ideas for assembling a piece. Hot forming - includes fusing, casting and pate de verre, as well as lampworking. Cold forming - explains how to shape a piece of glass and then bond pieces together Decorative - explains how to embellish your pieces, from painting to photography transfers and metal leaf inclusions. It is a practical guide but, with a wealth of stunning finished pieces, and also provides inspiration for jewellers of all experiences.

A highly illustrated step-by-step guide to designing and making contemporary tableware in clay, featuring inspirational pieces by leading designers. The tableware we use is very important in our everyday lives, whether plates, bowls, mugs, cups or teapots. This stylishly illustrated guide helps budding and established ceramicists alike to create practical and attractive ranges, starting with design principles, working through appropriate construction techniques, and leading on to decoration and finishes. Leading designers Sue Pryke and Linda Bloomfield explain the importance of inspiration and consistency in design, providing step-by-step guides to the main making methods, which include hand building, pinching, coiling, throwing and slipcasting. They also offer advice on using various clay materials - such as recycled and reused clay bodies - and the combination of clay with other materials including wood, metal, textiles and synthetics. Tips are provided on glaze fit, dishwasher- and microwave-safe glazes, firing and finishing. Featuring beautiful photographs of the work of such prominent tableware makers as Sasha Wardell, James and Tilla Waters, Reiko Kaneko and Nico Conti, there are many sources of inspiration for those wishing to further their tableware ambitions.

An exceptionally thoughtful and well-written biography of one of the most influential studio potters in Britain Widely recognized as the father of studio pottery, Bernard Leach (1887-1979) played a pioneering role in creating an identity for artist potters in Britain and around the world. Born in the East (Hong Kong) and educated in the West (England), throughout his life Leach perceived himself as a courier between the disparate cultures. His exquisite pots reflect the inspiration he drew from East and West as well as his response to the basic tenets of modernism-truth to materials, the importance of function to form, and simplicity of decoration. This outstanding biography provides for the first time a vivid and detailed account of Leach's life and its relation to his art. Emmanuel Cooper, himself a potter of international reputation, explores Leach's working methods, the seams of his pottery, his writings and philosophy, his recognition in Japan and Britain, and his continuing legacy, bringing into sharp focus a complex man who captured in his work as a potter the "still center" that always eluded him in his tumultuous personal life. Distributed for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art

How Venetian glass influenced American artists and patrons during the late nineteenth century Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass presents a broad exploration of American engagement with Venice's art world in the late nineteenth century. During this time, Americans in Venice not only encountered a floating city of palaces, museums, and churches, but also countless shop windows filled with dazzling specimens of brightly colored glass. Though the Venetian island of Murano had been a leading center of glass production since the Middle Ages, productivity bloomed between 1860 and 1915. This revival coincided with Venice's popularity as a destination on the Grand Tour, and resulted in depictions of Italian glassmakers and glass objects by leading American artists. In turn, their patrons visited glass furnaces and collected museum-quality, hand-blown goblets decorated with designs of flowers, dragons, and sea creatures, as well as mosaics, lace, and other examples of Venetian skill and creativity. This lavishly illustrated book examines exquisitely crafted glass pieces alongside paintings, watercolors, and prints of the same era by American artists who found inspiration in Venice, including Thomas Moran, Maria Oakey Dewing, Robert Frederick Blum, Charles Caryl Coleman, Maurice Prendergast, and Maxfield Parrish, in addition to John Singer Sargent and James McNeill Whistler. Italian glass had a profound influence on American art, literature, and design theory, as well as the period's ideas about gender, labor, and class relations. For artists such as Sargent and Whistler, and their patrons, glass objects were aesthetic emblems of history, beauty, and craftsmanship. From the furnaces of Murano to American parlors and museums, Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass brings to life the imaginative energy and unique creations that beckoned tourists and artists alike. Published in association with the Smithsonian American Art Museum Exhibition Schedule Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC October 8, 2021-May 8, 2022 Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, Texas June 25-September 11, 2022

This exquisite gift book explores the phenomenon of 'garnitures', or matching sets of ceramic vases. From the 1650s such sets were used in elite European interiors as an integral part of the decorative scheme; displayed on chimney-pieces, cupboards, tables or over doors, they 'garnished' the interior and so enhanced the status of the owner. The fashion began in Europe using mismatched Chinese porcelain beakers and jars. As imports of Chinese porcelain ceased between 1657 and 1683, European potters at Never and Delft copied the originally exotic forms, unifying the sets with matching patters, or with metal mounts. The fashion continued throughout the 1700s, with almost every ceramic manufactory producing examples, but came to its conclusion during the Arts and Crafts period, when the singular vase became the rage and many sets were broken up and dispersed. This book brings together some of the National Trust's most important sets of garnitures, showing them in their historic context, many have never been published before.

In his third book, Christer Loefgren expands the scholarship on imperial Chinese porcelain with a radical, new interpretation of the term "Mark and Period". From identifying only marks on imperial porcelain, to looking at objects associated with those marks, his analysis will change imperial porcelain's image and significantly contribute to the knowledge base of Chinese porcelain experts and collectors. For the first time, it is now possible to group all imperial items in all these periods, from Ming to the end of the Qing period. Based on a database of over 5000 items and marks, this survey provides statistics which make it possible to go deeper into identifying which items and marks are "Mark and Period", copies, or counterfeits. Also available: Chinese Imperial Reign Marks ISBN 9789198465181

This is the black and white paperback edition of Toast & Marmalade and Other Stories, published in hardback in 2014 by Saltyard Books. If you would like the original colour illustrated version of Toast & Marmalade it is available in hardback. 'Emma Bridgewater, queen of kitchenware, proves herself to be queen of the memoir too.' Stephen Fry 'What a great read - a true British inspiration story - I loved it!' Cath Kidston 'Emma Bridgewater's captivating recipe for a happy family life: food, passion, work, love.' Meg Rosoff Plunge into the world of pottery, family, childhood, work, motorway service stations, holidays, beaches, markets, recipes, dressing-up boxes, patchworking, country & western music, picnics, camping and the lost world of telephone calls costing 2p. Emma Bridgewater looks back on her life and work, with a wonderful patchwork of stories that show the inspirations behind the Bridgewater business and how it all started after a failed attempt to find the perfect birthday present...

283 color photos of American Sandwich glass objects, including fine cut, etched and engraved ware; household, commercial, and scientific glassware; and bottles marketed in the 1800s. A supplement features objects not available when the other 4 volumes in this series were written. A roster of 1500 employees and their occupations is fascinating. Items from $10 to $35,000.

This important book forms part of the Handmade in Britain partnership between the V&A and the BBC. Published as the culmination of a year-long season of programming over three series, it explores the history of making in Britain, looking across all media within the decorative arts. Handmade in Britain expands on the programmes, featuring key objects and makers in the V&A's collection as well as contributions from contemporary practitioners. It traces Britain's status as an unsophisticated importer of luxury Renaissance goods, to becoming one of the leading worldwide exporters of decorative arts by the end of the nineteenth century, and discusses present-day making - particularly the relationship between industrialized and craft-based processes and practice. It also shows how the history of making in Britain is not a London-centric story, but one of regional centres across the country often suited to different manufacturers for specific reasons. Like the programmes, the book takes each tradition in turn, looking at ceramics, metalwork, wood, textiles and stained glass.

This volume presents 455 inscribed pottery fragments, or ostraka, found during NYU's excavations at Amheida in the western desert of Egypt. The majority date to the Late Roman period (3rd to 4th century AD), a time of rapid social change in Egypt and the ancient Mediterranean generally. Amheida was a small administrative center, and the full publication of these brief texts illuminates the role of writing in the daily lives of its inhabitants. The subjects covered by the Amheida ostraka include the distribution of food, the administration of wells, the commercial lives of inhabitants, their education, and other aspects of life neglected in literary sources. The authors provide a full introduction to the technical aspects of terminology and chronology, while also situating this important evidence in its historical, social and regional context. Online edition available as part of the NYU Library's Ancient World Digital Library and in partnership with the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW).

Saints and Spectacle examines the origins and reception of the Middle Byzantine program of mosaic decoration. This complex and colorful system of images covers the walls and vaults of churches with figures and compositions seen against a dazzling gold ground. The surviving eleventh-century churches with their wall and vault mosaics largely intact, Hosios Loukas, Nea Moni and Daphni in Greece, pose the challenge of how, when and where this complex and gloriously conceived system was created. Using an interdisciplinary approach, Connor explores the urban culture and context of church-building in Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire, during the century following the end of Iconoclasm, of around 843 to 950. The application of an innovative frame of reference, through ritual studies, helps recreate the likely scenario in which the medium of mosaics attained its highest potential, in the mosaiced Byzantine church. For mosaics were enlisted to convey a religious and political message that was too nuanced to be expressed in any other way. At a time of revival of learning and the arts, and development of ceremonial practices, the Byzantine emperor and patriarch were united in creating a solution to the problem of consolidating the Greek Orthodox Byzantine Empire. It was through promoting a vision of the unchallengeable authority residing in God and his earthly representative, the emperor. The beliefs and processional practices affirming the protective role of the saints in which the entire city participated, were critical to the reception of this vision by the populace as well as the court. Mosaics were a luxury medium that was ideally situated aesthetically to convey a message at a particularly important historical moment-a brilliant solution to a problem that was to subtly unite an empire for centuries to come. Supported by a wealth of testimony from literary sources, Saints and Spectacle brings the Middle Byzantine church to life as the witness to a compelling and fascinating drama.

"This splendid catalog serves as the most current and magnificently illustrated introduction to Islamic ceramics now available. Essential."--"Choice"
Islamic pottery--the fine ceramics made in the lands of Islam, from the Arab world and Turkey through Iran and into Central Asia--is one of the hidden treasures of world ceramics. It has often been overshadowed by the ceramic legacy of China and Europe, yet it cedes nothing to these great traditions in technical inventiveness and beauty of design. Through close trading links and cultural interchange, Islamic potters have played a crucial role in the development of these other ceramic cultures.
A catalogue of the al-Sabah collection in Kuwait--one of the few truly great collections in private hands--this richly illustrated volume presents a comprehensive history of ceramics from Islamic lands and portrays the unfolding story of Islamic pottery over its thousand-year history.
Over four hundred pieces are described, providing both an examination of individual items and an overall history of the subject. Clear and informative introductory essays cover the study and collecting of Islamic pottery over the past hundred years, and trace its technical and chronological history, from the first fine wares made in the eighth century to the destructive impact of European industrialization in the nineteenth century. The individual objects, illustrated with some nine hundred color pictures, are grouped by type and geographically. A "Choice" Outstanding Academic Title. 921 color illustrations.

Illustrated with more than 300 photos, this guide covers everything you need to know to begin working with glass. Learn the materials and tools needed, types of glass, and successful techniques, focusing on the copper foil method. While emphasizing the beauty and creativity that's easy to enjoy about this craft, the book offers detailed step-by-step photo instructions for tracing, cutting, grinding, foiling, assembly, soldering, patina use, and more. The 33 projects, each rated in difficulty level, cover a wide range of styles and techniques. All of them beautifully showcase the gorgeous array of art glass available today, and they serve as useful additions to your everyday life or as exceptional gifts: a mobile, candy dish, cutlery holder, mirror frames, lamps, jewelry, and even clocks.