mmmm friday...

photograph by Diana Brennan

Ok, so I can't really go running on the beach wearing my silk red dress in 40-degree weather, but I wish I could... I have never been happier for a Friday.

This beautiful image is available on Etsy, at dsbrennan.

bison australia’s envious color palatte

I love this color palette from Bison Australia Ceramics, it's just so tasy, as is the tableware they produce.

Read more about this fantastic little company here.

pattern paradise

Hawthorn Threads website has a brilliant function: you can search through their fabric stock by color. Not only are their textiles beautifully curated, their website is incredibly user friendly and inspiring. Maybe I will trade in my kiln for a sewing maching? At the very least, these lively color combinations and patterns will jumpstart a few plate projects.

artists in their home: no. 7

For Halloween, my neighbors Rich and Julie transformed their loft into a spooky pharmacy. With their combined talents for lighting design and graphics, they created something spectacular, and a little bit creepy.

The table centerpiece was a light box, filled with pill bottles. Who knew that prescription bottles could be so beautiful?

 The downstairs was transformed into a 60's psychedelic lounge.

 Julie baked up some tasty prescriptions.

And Rich administered some, um, delicious looking punch.

Even Dr. Uncle Ned made sure everyone's temperature was well above normal. It was a great night.

throwing demo at nymphenburg

At Nymphenburg, craftsmen and craftswomen throw all the plates, vases and bowls by hand on a water-powered potter's wheel. I love the foot-trimming machine shown in the last image! Watch the full video here. All pieces are stamped with the Nymphenburg mark and the potter's initials.

hella jongerius, imperfections and idiosyncrasies

My friend Lauren told me about Hella Jongerius and her Jongeriuslab. Hella creates things that make her (and me) happy, here is what she writes about her B-set, pictured above:

"Somewhere in every home, there is a chipped and broken plate that exudes memories of Granny from the fine lines of its crazing glaze. Ultimately it is the damaged plate with its imperfections and idiosyncrasies that is treasured rather than the dazzling, pristine service. Hence, Hella Jongerius has consciously created irregularities in her porcelain-deformed dinner service that deviate from the ‘ideal’ form."

Above, the B-set is stored in the Royal Tichelaar Makkum factory.
Available on line in their shop.

jill platner

All images courtesy of jillplatner.com

There is something very raw and primal about Jill Platner's work. I feel a little bit invincible when I wear her necklaces. Good for times of vulnerability.

numbered dinner set for 12, in progress

I am working on a table setting for twelve for a friend, who happens to be a graphic designer. He requested that the plates be numbered. Since I have a beautiful cut of Caslon 540 metal type, I was happy to accomodate his request.

This is a dream commission, combining porcelain with metal type and a painterly brush stroke. Three of my favorite things: ceramics, typography, and painting, all on one plate.

the digital library of Pierre-Joseph Redouté's illustrations

Pierre-Joseph Redouté, a botanist and painter, was hired by Josephiné de Beauharnais (Napoléon's first wife) to record the flowers growing in her gardens at Château de Malmaison. The books that were publishes as the result of this commission can be seen online, in large digital format. They are gorgeous, click here to view the first book.

still life saturday with gourds

painting by Carl Balsgaard

painting by Thornton Walker


painting by Mikel Wintermantel


painting by Pieter Withoos 


painting by Carlo Russo

photographs by Victor Schrager

botanical finds

I'm always looking around for botanical illustrations, and was happy to run into these beauties on the Private Academic Library Network of Indiana's website. The illustrations are by Sydenham S. Edwards, published by William Curtis in 1832 in Curtis's Botanical Magazine.

paola navone's architectural tableware

Paola Navone's "Taste" tableware for Reichenbach reminds me of old European elegance, a set my grandmother would surely love. The precision and control of the architectural broad edges add a modern touch. When set on the table, the spaces between each piece become equally important, and sculptural.

at wannekes

Curated by interior designer Tanneke Neessen, the porcelain items on the Wannekes webshop are exquisite, and fun. 
1. Dolly salt  & pepper shaker: designed by Ross McBride for Normann Copenhagen
2. Sweetheart teapot: designed by Christian Ghion for Gaia & Gino
3. Coquetier Douillet, émaillée brillante: designed by Catherine Lévy and Sigolene Prebois for Tsé & Tsé
4. Water carafe: designed by Aldo Bakker for Thomas Eyck

form inspriation from aldo bakker

The forms of the port, water, and cognac glasses from Aldo Bakker are modern, clean, and a little unexpected.