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?

"Ritsue Mishima was born in Kyoto, Japan in 1962. She worked as a stylist in advertising and with interior design magazines, eventually focusing on floral installations. In 1996, after moving to Venice, Italy, she began working with glass and collaborating with murano craftsmen. Mishima was the first recipient of the Giorgio Armani prize for best artist at Sotheby's contemporary decorative arts exhibition in London in 2001. Two years later, she attracted attention with her striking installation at the Milano Salone. Mishima was recently included in the 2009 Venice biennial, which deemed her one of the "most interesting artists on the international glass scene". Combining the craft of local glassblowers, minerals and fire, Mishima forms glass in a race against time, pulling everything together and growing shapes from the inside out. She looks to the natural world to create pieces of delicate, organic nature that are infused with spiritual and physical energy. She also draws inspiration through looking back at historic Venetian glassworks but unlike many Venetian glass artists who see themselves as decorative sculptors, Mishima is determined to produce works that are genuinely useful. Glassworks by Mishima are colourless and transparent, giving the sensations of pureness and luminosity. They capture and release the light and surrounding colors, creating perfect harmony with their contexts. Her work is very powerful, yet supremely elegant.

Dan Klein and Alan J. Poole began collecting in the late 1970s and over the subsequent thirty years assembled on the most comprehensive collections of modern British and Irish glass. The book includes work by over one hundred makers at the very cutting edge of their art. This dazzling collection was gifted to National Museums Scotland in 2009.

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

Chinoiserie, a decorative style inspired by the art of the Far East, gripped Britain from the late seventeenth to the early nineteenth century. Despite taking its name from the French word for 'Chinese', the style also incorporated influences from other Asian countries, helping to shape the period's popular fantasy of the 'exotic Orient'. Wealthy consumers jostled to obtain imported wallpaper, lacquered cabinets and hand-painted porcelain, while domestic manufacturers such as Royal Worcester and Chippendale met demand with mass-produced items of their own. Though interest in the style waned as the Gothic Revival took hold, many examples of Chinoiserie have been preserved. In this beautifully illustrated book, Richard Hayman tells the story of this fascinating phenomenon, and explores the profound impact of Chinoiserie on the material culture of the West.

"A nice collection of small stained-glass projects that would make fine gifts." --Nanette Donohue, "Library Journal"

• How to make angels, candleholders, suncatchers, mirrors, picture frames, garden ornaments, and more beautiful projects, from easy to more complex
• Full-size patterns for all 40 projects (plus 2 bonus patterns)
• Detailed instructions for each project illustrated with a thousand step-by-step photos
• Includes pro tips from an experienced stained glass artist on soldering, working with lead and foil, building 3-D projects, and more

James Tower (1919-1988) is best known for his elegant forms in glazed earthenware. During a career spanning four decades, from the 1950s to the 1980s, he worked unceasingly in a wide variety of media to achieve an elusive harmony of shape and surface, form and decoration, inert material and active design. His personal understanding of the purpose and meaning of abstraction embodies a perpetual dialogue between the visible world and the unseen dynamics which shape it. This centenary volume of essays considers Tower's entire output from a wide variety of perspectives, embracing paintings and drawings, as well as sculpture in bronze, terracotta and fibreglass. The contributions of leading critics and historians approach his work, situated at the junction of art, craft and design, in a broad historical and cultural context, illuminating key episodes in postwar British art, and Tower's unique place within it.

This book investigates how British contemporary artists who work with clay have managed, in the space of a single generation, to take ceramics from niche-interest craft to the pristine territories of the contemporary art gallery. This development has been accompanied (and perhaps propelled) by the kind of critical discussion usually reserved for the 'higher' discipline of sculpture. Ceramics is now encountering and colliding with sculpture, both formally and intellectually. Laura Gray examines what this means for the old hierarchies between art and craft, the identity of the potter, and the character of a discipline tied to a specific material but wanting to participate in critical discussions that extend far beyond clay.

This book is an edited record of the papers given at the two-day symposium 'Italian Maiolica and Europe' held in Oxford on 22 and 23 September 2017. It is, in effect, a celebration of his long service in the Ashmolean Museum as the Keeper of Western Art. Museum collections develop their great strengths in one of two ways: through gifts of private collections and through the knowledge and enthusiasm of curators. The Ashmolean's renowned and important collection of Italian Maiolica owes its foundation to the former and the bequest of C.D.E. Fortnum. But it has grown and developed in remarkable ways over the last three decades thanks to the energy and expertise of Professor Timothy Wilson. During his 27 years as Keeper of Western Art, Tim was responsible for a truly extraordinary range and number of important acquisitions across the fine and decorative arts. As one of the world's leading scholars of Italian Maiolica, it was only natural that he would continue to build on Fortnum's legacy.

This book includes 25 beautiful projects that is shown step by step. The wonderful hues and textures of enamel celebrated in inspirational and practical designs, shown in over 300 photographs. Projects include a Fleur-de-lis Bookmark, a Door Plaque, Stargazer Earrings, Napkin Rings, a Night and Day Clock Face, a Cloisonne Bowl, a Flower Pendant and a Moon Bowl. This is a comprehensive guide, from getting started to achieving excellence, with everything you need to know about materials, equipment and techniques. It comes with pictures by the highly regarded craft, cooking and lifestyle photographer, Peter Williams. Enamel is a form of glass, and enamelling is the process of fusing it to metal using heat. The craft of enamelling has been practised for centuries, dating back to the Egyptians who used it as to imitate precious stones. This book illustrates the remarkable work being produced by today's enamellists using tried-and-tested methods, and shows in simple step-by-step sequences how to create 25 beautiful projects at home. All you need to get started is access to a small, purpose-built kiln and some basic enamelling equipment.A techniques section shows how to prepare enamels and metal, how to apply enamels for different effects and how to fire a piece, and the projects include earrings, beads, buttons, brooches and keyrings. This outstanding book shows how to create highly distinctive work that will be treasured.

This is a large illustrated volume on the work of the legendary master glassmaker Lino Tagliapietra. On the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of his career, this book traces the artist s life, encounters, and works, focusing in particular on his most recent production.

The most comprehensive monograph available on the greatest living glassblower, Lino Tagliapietra. Lino Tagliapietra has been described as the world's greatest glassblower, a figure born from the five-hundred-year-old culture of Venetian glass, but one who also revolutionized glass as a discipline, inventing new techniques to create his masterful works. Even more astonishing, as Tagliapietra hit his full stride, he has become a notable figure in the unfolding story of modern sculpture - an artist whose distinctive works are coveted by collectors of contemporary abstract art and whose vision makes us think about art history in new and profound ways. This is the most comprehensive monograph available on his work and features insightful texts by Glenn Adamson and Henry Adams, as well as hundreds of new photographs, which showcase the impressive breadth and depth of Taglipietra's repertoire.

This is a glamorous coffee table book covering the work of the international designer, maker and craftsperson. Batch showcases the cream of the contemporary craft world crossing different disciplines in design including; furniture, surface design and decoration, glass, ceramics, textiles, precious metals and multidiscipline design. Designers and craftspeople are pushing the boundaries and concept of craft, creating batches of work which emphasise the skill behind the object. These high-end craft objects are sold through design boutiques, galleries and department stores and they are produced by designers and makers successfully carving our lifestyle trends. In a retail environment where product design is becoming a cloned marketplace, Batch celebrates those products which have a story behind them and which have a high level of care and finish, which make them stand out in the crowd. The book presents the work through interviews with both national and international designers who explain the ideas and concepts behind their work, how they got started and how they have developed their businesses. The book also includes practical information in the 'Behind the Scenes' chapter on running a small business, liaising with manufacturers, dealing with press, setting up exhibitions, sourcing commissions and marketing. And when you are ready to start shopping, it also offers a shop guide compiled by the designers themselves. This book will not only appeal to makers for both visual interest and practical information but also to the buyers, collectors and admirers of contemporary craft and designers.

Discover the slow, tactile art of hand-building ceramics and express yourself through the act of creating unique, timeless pieces for your home. The Urban Potter teaches you how to make beautiful, one-off handcrafted pieces with simple, natural shapes and neutral tones. Ceramicist Emily Proctor's unique, self-taught style embraces irregularity and asymmetry - here, there is no such thing as perfection, every piece is created through an authentic, intuitive process, with no wheel required. The 24 step-by-step projects include functional homeware such as bowls, plates and vases, as well as other decorative accessories, and are ordered by difficulty, making this book suitable for anyone who wants to play with clay, from beginners through to more seasoned ceramicists. For each project, Emily guides you through the whole process and explains all the techniques involved, from slabbing and pinching, to carving and glazing, while also fully leaning into the joys of slow ceramics and the mindful, patient nature of the art.

Glass is a magical material through which light can shine. Throughout its millennial history, its colourful splendour and malleability have always exerted a particular fascination and a creative attraction. The book offers a profound and lavishly documented panorama of artistic glass design in Europe and the United States since the 1870s. Over many years Renate und Dietrich Götze have assembled one of the world’s most important collections of glass vessels, comprising some 500 exclusive objects. It reflects not only the collectors’ passion for this luminous material and its unlimited opportunities for inspiring the imagination, but also their tremendous expertise. The volume is a compendium of glass art with numerous artist biographies, a directory of the glass foundries, their techniques and symbols – and, above all: a feast for the eyes!

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.

By the time of his death in 1904, critics, arts reformers, and government officials were near universal in their praise of Art Nouveau designer Emile Galle (1846-1904), whose works they described as the essence of French design. Many even went so far as to argue that the artist's creations could reinvigorate France's fading arts industries and help restore its economic prosperity by defining a modern style to represent the nation. For fin-de-siecle viewers, Galle's works constituted powerful reflections on the idea of national belonging, modernity, and the role of the arts in political engagement. While existing scholarship has largely focused on the artist's innovative technical processes, a close analysis of Galle's works brings to light the surprisingly complex ways in which his fragile creations were imbricated in the political turmoil that characterized fin-de-siecle France. Examining Galle's works inspired by Japanese art, his patriotically inflected designs for the Universal Exposition of 1889, his artistic manifesto in support of Dreyfus created in 1900, and finally, his late works that explore the concept of evolution, this book reveals how Galle returns again and again to the question of national identity as the central issue in his work.

An unprecedented exploration of Venetian maiolica set in a vibrant context of hybridity and exchange. Introduced by migrant potters ca.1500, the medium offers a unique point of entry into Venice's material world shaped by Mediterranean trade and local luxury production. This exhibition catalogue explores maiolica's multifaceted connection to objects ranging from Islamic metalwork to Venetian glass. Accompanying an exhibition held at the Gardiner Museum, Toronto, Global Luxury in Renaissance Venice explores the role of maiolica within the vast range of luxury objects made in Venice and imported into the city, highlighting the place of the medium at the nexus of cross-media and cross-cultural exchanges. Thematic discussions investigate the circulation of artefacts and the migration of ornament, the potter's workshop and artistic lineage, and maiolica's position in the material culture of splendour that characterized elite interiors. The book addresses works made in the thriving workshops of Jacomo da Pesaro and Domenego da Venezia, and suggests a connection between the rise of villeggiatura in the mid-sixteenth century and the ascent Venice's maiolica industry.

During the eighteenth century, porcelain held significant cultural and artistic importance. This collection represents one of the first thorough scholarly attempts to explore the diversity of the medium's cultural meanings. Among the volume's purposes is to expose porcelain objects to the analytical and theoretical rigor which is routinely applied to painting, sculpture and architecture, and thereby to reposition eighteenth-century porcelain within new and more fruitful interpretative frameworks. The authors also analyze the aesthetics of porcelain and its physical characteristics, particularly the way its tactile and visual qualities reinforced and challenged the social processes within which porcelain objects were viewed, collected, and used. The essays in this volume treat objects such as figurines representing British theatrical celebrities, a boxwood and ebony figural porcelain stand, works of architecture meant to approximate porcelain visually, porcelain flowers adorning objects such as candelabra and perfume burners, and tea sets decorated with unusual designs. The geographical areas covered in the collection include China, North Africa, Spain, France, Italy, Britain, America, Japan, Austria, and Holland.

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

Lacking a green thumb? There's no need to worry when you can create your own everlasting succulents with versatile air-dry clay. Designs are included for over 25 popular succulent species, such as sedum, echeveria, and haworthia, and unique plants like cacti, air plants, and the Venus flytrap.

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

* 25 full-size, realistic patterns for common North American trees * Includes a color sample for each pattern * Species include American holly, Carolina ash, flowering dogwood, fanleaf hawthorn, sweet cherry, quaking aspen, white oak, and 18 more