A paragon of modern design, this book charts the history, rise and fall of the world's best-selling patented teapot.

What happens to us when we die? What might the afterlife look like? For the ancient Greeks, the dead lived on, overseen by Hades in the Underworld. We read of famous sinners, such as Sisyphus, forever rolling his rock, and the fierce guard dog Kerberos, who was captured by Herakles. For mere mortals, ritual and religion offered possibilities for ensuring a happy existence in the beyond, and some of the richest evidence for beliefs about death comes from southern Italy, where the local Italic peoples engaged with Greek beliefs. Monumental funerary vases that accompanied the deceased were decorated with consolatory scenes from myth, and around forty preserve elaborate depictions of Hades's domain. For the first time in over four decades, these compelling vase paintings are brought together in one volume, with detailed commentaries and ample illustrations. The catalogue is accompanied by a series of essays by leading experts in the field, which provides a framework for understanding these intriguing scenes and their contexts. Topics include attitudes toward the afterlife in Greek ritual and myth, inscriptions on leaves of gold that provided guidance for the deceased; funerary practices and religious beliefs in Apulia, and the importance accorded to Orpheus and Dionysos. Drawing from a variety of textual and archaeological sources, this volume is an essential source for anyone interested in religion and belief in the ancient Mediterranean.

An illustrated record of Wilkie's tableware designs 1958 - 1978.

Hypertufa containers - also known as troughs - are rustic, striking, versatile, and perfect for small, Alpine plants. A mix of cement, perlite, peat, and water, they are simple and affordable to make at home. Hypertufa Containers details everything a home gardeners needs to know to make their own troughs and successfully garden in them. Readers will discover the amazing variety of plants that thrive in troughs. Plant portraits include growing and cultivation information along with potting tips. The book features step-by-step instructions for making hypertufa containers in a variety of shapes and sizes. The instructions are easy to follow and feature colour photography. Hypertufa Containers is for container gardeners, rock gardeners, and people looking for a new DIY project.

Not long ago, pottery was a lost art in Chihuahua, Mexico. But in the 1970s, near the ruins of Casas Grandes, an art revolution was born. Inspired by ancient pottery fragments from a tradition that had disappeared before the arrival of the first Europeans, a self-taught woodcutter-turned-artist reinvented an entire ceramic technology. Today Casas Grandes pottery, made by hand from local clays and mineral colors by a handful of artists, claims high prices and sets the standard for contemporary pottery. Photographer Sandra Smith traveled to Mata Ortiz to photograph the potters and to record their reflections on their work. Her portraits document their techniques--collecting and preparing the clay, forming by hand, sanding, and painting. They also capture intimate moments between artists and their art. For anyone who has ever admired Casas Grandes pottery, "Portraits of Clay" is a beautiful introduction to the potters and their work.

Miquel Barceló is one of the most interesting artists active today. For over 40 years, his poetics has embodied different languages such as painting, sculpture, graphics and publishing, in a great and very original artistic pathway. The International museum of Ceramics in Faenza (MIC) devoted an outstanding solo exhibition to the Spanish artist. Curated by Irene Biolchini and Cécile Pocheau Lesteven, it was the first anthological event devoted to Barceló's ceramic production, from his debut to the present day. The event included a special project created by the artist just for the MIC Faenza in a dialogue with works in the collection, covering the history of ceramics. This selection of key ceramic pieces from the MIC collection, dating back to 3000 BC, alongside the works of Barceló are all presented here through illustrations and accompanying text. Text in English and Italian.

The ceramicist Theres Stampfli (b. 1952) and the musician Peter K Frey (b. 1941) have been working together under the name TONundTON since 1990. The artist duo always operate in terms of location, frequently searching for deserted buildings robbed of their function, such as a former reservoir or a transformer tower dependent on a power supply. The artists successfully revitalise the abandoned locations with sensitive, often anthropomorphic ceramics and sounds that fill the entire room. Even when intervening in museums, their installations alter the overall perception of space. In doing so, the two artistic disciplines come together to form a collective project, both audibly and visually. TONundTON is the first major documentation of their work. A soundtrack belonging to each of the images can be played by accessing QR codes in order to unite the acoustic and visual performances. Text in English and German.

An inspirational book on the craft, sure to entice some into becoming potters themselves.

Since her debut in 1995, the Danish ceramist Gitte Jungersen (b. 1967) has gained much attention for her innovative work with ceramic glazes. She experiments with extremely active glazes that melt and run during firing, and form individual masses and cracks in a way that is reminiscent of geological processes. After cooling, the works appear as congealed traces, balancing on the edge between chaos and control. Whether we can expect an imminent dissolution, or a new narrative is taking shape is open to question. The objects give rise to a feeling of something uncontrollable and catastrophic, yet at the same time her ceramics have a sensually enticing feel to them as well as great visual appeal. For the first time, an overview is being presented of Gitte Jungersen's work from 1995 to 2017, with comprehensive illustrated documentation of around sixty pieces.

Ceramics and the Museum interrogates the relationship between art-oriented ceramic practice and museum practice in Britain since 1970. Laura Breen examines the identity of ceramics as an art form, drawing on examples of work by artist-makers such as Edmund de Waal and Grayson Perry; addresses the impact of policy making on ceramic practice; traces the shift from object to project in ceramic practice and in the evolution of ceramic sculpture; explores how museums facilitated multisensory engagement with ceramic material and process, and analyses the exhibition as a text in itself. Proposing the notion that 'gestures of showing,' such as exhibitions and installation art, can be read as statements, she examines what they tell us about the identity of ceramics at particular moments in time. Highlighting the ways in which these gestures have constructed ceramics as a category of artistic practice, Breen argues that they reveal gaps between narrative and practice, which in turn can be used to deconstruct the art.

Designs featuring specially cut glass that captures and refracts light. Floral, geometric, animal, Art Nouveau, Victorian motifs in varied shapes. Create mirrors, mobiles, door panels, etc.

Complete instructions, patterns, material lists, and step-by-step photos for 18 projects-panels, boxes, candleholders, sun catchers, ornaments, and more-suitable for beginners. All great looking and using the newest styles of glass-many have the contemporary look popular on Etsy and Pinterest. With this companion to Stackpole's Basic Stained Glass Making, you can use your new skills to create beautiful art. For each project, finished project photos, full-size pattern, materials list, and technique photos and instruction are presented, along with variations of some patterns. Includes expert advice for the basic techniques of glass cutting, grinding, foiling, and soldering.

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.

This handsomely illustrated volume is the second in a series of publications aimed at giving a broad audience deeper insight into the extensive collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Museum is famed for its Greek vases. Joan R. Mertens, Curator in the Department of Greek and Roman Art at the Metropolitan, has chosen thirty-five notable examples. They reveal the variety and vitality of the refined forms and masterfully rendered scenes that characterize these works. And they demonstrate the interrelation of function, shape, technique, and subject matter that is key to understanding the rich language of Greek vases. The introduction provides valuable background information, and the entries delve into the features of each vase, incorporating brilliant color illustrations, including many arresting details. Greek vases served specific utilitarian functions, and they also afforded outstanding artists, some of whom signed their work, a medium for depicting both the details of daily existence and aspects of their gods, goddesses, and heroes. We see the garments, implements, athletic competitions, and marriage and funerary rituals of Greeks who lived from the seventh through the fourth century B.C. We see their mythological figures and stories, for instance, the goddess Athena with her helmet, spear, and shield, and the great hero Herakles, from his first exploit as a baby to his elevation as an immortal at the end of his earthly life. The exceptional group of works assembled in this volume conveys the extent to which the culture of ancient Greece is still apparent today. Urns and jars inspired by Greek models are a staple in all types of public and private spaces. The meander patterns, palmettes, and other florals that adorn ancient vases recur in all kinds of modern objects. And the concept of the hero, or superman, first formulated and given visual form in ancient Greece is integral to Western culture. How to Read Greek Vases is sure to inspire closer scrutiny of these remarkable works of art, which have survived for over two millennia to offer viewers an enlightening look into the ancient heritage of the Western world. Published in association with The Metropolitan Museum of Art

This publication reflects upon the celebrated collection at the internationally renowned Gardiner Museum, Toronto, which has grown to become one of the world's great speciality museums with its devotion to the ceramic arts. Featuring more than 100 images, the book focuses upon 30 objects that reflect the temporal and geographical breadth of the Museum's collection, as well as the universality of the medium it celebrates. An international body of scholars and curators share their insights and expertise within the book's essays telling the story of ceramic production throughout history and with reference to a vast array of approaches to the medium. Featuring works by such illustrious names as Marc Chagall, Betty Woodman, Marilyn Levine, Wedgwood and Delft, this book provides a fascinating insight into one of the greatest collections in the world of ceramics.

This updated third edition explores new techniques in digital and 3D printing, as well as refreshing older techniques such as mono-printing. Printing has become a common part of the ceramic artist's practice and today there are more possibilities than ever before. From low-tech mono-prints to digital laser decal, it is now possible to employ a range of techniques to print on clay and vitreous surfaces. With the ongoing advancement of new technologies and more developed studio-based transfer processes artists continue to push the boundaries of the medium. In this comprehensive update of his popular Ceramics Handbook title, Paul Scott explains the historical context for contemporary printed ceramics before explaining the principles of core techniques and their application in the studio. He explores photographic processes, as well as the new opportunities presented by digital technology, including digital and 3D printing. Illustrated with brand new images of beautiful works by leading artists working in printed ceramics, Ceramics and Print is a must-read guide for artists and makers interested in this ever-developing field.

Ceramic artist Vonney Ball's elegant output reflects a sound education in English ceramics design, a singularity of purpose and a drive to keep making work. Twenty years on from her arrival in New Zealand, her work connects cultural experiences from opposite ends of the earth. Vonney Ball: Ceramics surveys her work and examines her influences, from Bloomsbury to Maori art and design.

Clay is an exciting material that has been used to make both practical and decorative items since prehistoric times. With this practical guidebook, learn all the skills you need to start creating your own beautiful ceramics. Step-by-step photographs and clear instructions will guide you through the core techniques, including pinching and coiling and throwing and trimming. Discover inspirational projects as your skills progress, from simple coiled vases with painted decoration to marbled clay boxes with transparent glazes. Learn how to decorate and fire your clay vessels with myriad textures, using methods such as inlays, slips, sgraffito, feathering, burnishing and resist. Following the impressive projects inside, you can put your new-found skills into practice and develop your creativity.

When Pam Valois, a young photographer, met Jacomena Maybeck in 1979, she saw the woman she wanted to be in her own later years. Tarring roofs and splitting logs into her eighties, Jackie presided over the legacy of Bernard Maybeck and his clan on Berkeley's legendary Nut Hill. The friendship between the two women led to a best-selling book-Gifts of Age, a treasury of stories about successful aging. Blooming in Winter is an intimate portrait of Jackie that gives us a paradigm for living exuberantly until the very end.

Born into a traditional culture in 1833, Emanuel Suter cultivated the art of pottery and expanded markets across the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, creating a thriving company and leaving thousands of examples of utilitarian ceramic ware that have survived down to the present. Drawing on Suter's diary-rich with meticulous descriptions of his ceramic wares, along with glazing recipes and the quotidian details of nineteenth-century business-as well as myriad other primary and secondary sources, Suter's great-great-grandson Scott Hamilton Suter tells the story of how a farmer with a seasonal sideline developed into a technologically advanced entrepreneur who operated a modern industrial company. As a farmer, Emanuel Suter innovated by adopting new time-saving equipment; this progressive thinking bled over into his religious life, as he endeavored to change the traditional way of choosing ministers by lot and advocated for the formation of Sunday schools in the Mennonite Church. But Suter largely made his mark as a potter, and A Potter's Progress is enhanced by nearly two dozen color images and a close study of the techniques (including kilns and jigger wheels), products, shop organization, marketing, and labor of Suter's shops, revealing the revolutionary role they played in the world of Rockingham County, Virginia, pottery manufacture. This tightly focused case study of the trials and triumphs of one craftsman as he moved from a cottage industry to a full-scale industrial enterprise-prefiguring the market economy that would characterize the twentieth century-serves as a microcosm for examining the American spirit of progress in late nineteenth-century America.

What inspiration awaits within a museum? In this rare venture, a group of 14 Resident Artists from The Clay Studio worked with 7 curators to explore the Philadelphia Museum of Art's art storage vaults.This catalog-and its accompanying exhibition at The Clay Studio-reveals the thoughts, inspirations, and creative drive shared by the artists and curators. After researching and handling artifacts in an art museum's storage, each artist chose a museum object and went back to their studio to create a new work of art in response. The resulting artworks, beautifully photographed here, are accompanied by the artists' thoughtful reactions to the experience, along with candid views of the works in progress in their studios. The curators, too, describe their "aha moments" in three luminous essays. For both artists and curators, this journey from storage to studio in Philadelphia has been revelatory and points the way to exciting future possibilities for artists, curators, museums, and gallery visitors everywhere.

Interviewing nearly 30 of the Aldermaston potters, many of whom have written some fascinating submissions about this incredible workshop. The book features a wonderful, previously unpublished, account from Geoffrey Eastop's memoirs, about how he came to Aldermaston and helped to establish the pottery with Alan Caiger-Smith in the mid 1950s. The book tells the story of the 51 years of the Aldermaston Pottery, through the words and experiences of as many of the potters as possible, whilst also chronicling Alan's own achievements over the decades. The images also play an important part in telling the story. The book also follows the subsequent careers of the potters, and tell how they went on to make a difference, and to sustain the maiolica tradition, all over the world. As there has never been a book published that has traced the career of this important figure or the life of the pottery, or the 60 people who worked and trained there, and there are very few photographic records of this lost way of working, this book will fill that gap in the history of 20th century studio pottery.