Legacy in a family, is something to cherish and hold gently. I am daily surrounded by my families female legacy as I create and push forward in my own art. I was fortunate to receive a profound legacy from my Mother last year, when she gave me her 'Porcelain Painting' box, kiln and supplies. Ever since I can remember, the sight and smell of this box, has been like magic to me, and I always knew that someday, one day I would create with this box of enchantment too.
My Grandmother was a porcelain painter, and I am so fortunate to have a few of her pieces. When I was born she painted me a 'Pooh' plate, which hangs by my bed, and many many pieces with my favorite apple blossom print... The Thumbelina plate was painted for my Godmother, and gifted to me when she died. I love the sweet sentimentality of my grandmothers pieces, she never took any classes, and mixed all her own paints and oils. There is a wonderful and sweet amateurish feel to her work, that brings tears to my eyes...
My Mother took porcelain painting to another level, studying in Switzerland and San Francisco for years. As a Dane she naturally loves Flora Danica and over the years, her style has been inspired by this amazing and historical collection. She painted a service for 12, which has a place of honor in her home and all of us girls have put dibs on it!!! I have quite a few of her pieces, including a lovely dressing table set that sits in my bedroom. I adore the old European style of painting and my Mothers attention to details!
My Mother also painted many figural pieces, like these lamps, which now sit in my dining room. As some of you may know, Ulla means 'Little Bear' in Danish, so the Bear lamp has special meaning. The Quail is California's State Bird... just look at all those baby quails with their parents!
Hard Legacy to follow! Both my Grandmother and my Mother painted with Oil Porcelain paints, and unfortunately suffered quite a bit from the toxicity of these oils, and ultimately had to stop painting earlier then either wished - my Mother stopped a decade ago. I searched for months, trying to find someone within a 100 mile radius who could teach me how to use these magic paints on porcelain. I did find an elderly lady from Italy, but the hour and half drive to her place - once a week - was too much for me. Amazingly most women working in these paints today are over 60! What next? A few weeks later, I found a local teacher, Yes! in my own town, who has a in-home workshop once a week, teaching painting on porcelain dolls! My first question was, can I use my box of magic paints? 'Yes, of course' she said. Next question, can I go my own direction, since I want to paint other things as well as dolls? 'No problem' she said! And to top it all off, she said: 'We don't use Oils, only water-based paints' which solved the toxicity problem!
What I really love about Porcelain painting is the process. You have to paint layer by layer, with a firing in-between each layer. You have to think about what is underneath before you reach the top! I have been painting now, every Thursday morning, since November. (I am the youngest in the group) Yesterday I brought home my first piece! I have 3 more in progress - this is a slow birth, but one that I am really really loving. My fantasy, of course, is to one day offer one-of-a-kind classes in porcelain painting, but that is definitely down the road, as I still have so much to learn! Here is my first piece, a doll, yes, but one with flowers and a sense of history! The Legacy continues...
