my mama's table

a house-full of fragrant lovelies

2012-02-02T15:40:00.000-05:00

I was away for a week at the NY Gift Fair, and came home to a house-full of blooming paper whites. The bulbs were given to me by a friend a few weeks ago, and were just starting to come up when I left. A very pleasant surprise.

something about this color combo

2012-01-25T20:34:00.000-05:00

There is something about this collection of off-whites, whites, with the pop of pink and yellow that is very satisfying. Perhaps it’s the light and the composition, which are just so lovely and natural.

The pictured set of vintage crochet yarn rolls are available at this etsy shop.

big thank you to squam

2012-01-20T13:54:00.000-05:00

I am very honored to have been chosen to make cups and tumblers for squam, a magical place where people gather to teach, to learn, to create, and to experience. Elizabeth Duvivier, the founder of squam, and I found each other at the Providence open market this past summer. What a treat to also find a whole community of passionate, dedicated, and talented individuals working alongside Elizabeth to create a place like squam. Thank you to the bloggers who wrote about the cups, and to all who purchased them.

A huge thank you to Christine Chitnis and Tory Williams who worked so hard on the gleena studio tour video. You can view the video by going here.

Now back to the casting table to fill all the squam orders!

photo by Christine Chitnis

photo by Alec Baxt

botanicals by karolin schnoor

2012-01-15T10:46:00.002-05:00

Karolin Schnoor’s drawings have the same whimsy and lightness that I remember from the illustrated Russian fairytale books of my childhood. Based in London, Karolin has a shop on etsy. See more of her lovely screen-printed and letter-pressed creations here.

From Karolin’s interview on The Working Proof:
“I do think that the reason people feel more comfortable or even happy in certain places has a lot to do with colour, arrangement and design...”

gleena.com now has a wedding registry

2012-01-08T10:30:00.000-05:00

I was fortunate to work with two lovely couples last year to create their wedding registries, you can see the results here and here.

Applying typography and imagery to my porcelain ceramics is what I love to do best. And custom work is especially satisfying as it is infused with the spirit of the people I collaborate with. I’ve also worked on numerous wedding publications during my art directing career, so it is a very natural step to be able to offer a registry option on gleena. Can’t wait to see what kind of collaborations will come my way!

2011-12-22T16:38:00.000-05:00

at risd works this thursday, dec. 15th, from 1-8pm

2011-12-13T10:35:00.000-05:00

holiday sale at divine studios in nyc sunday dec. 11th, 11am-6pm21 east 4th st. at lafayette, manhattan

2011-12-05T09:25:00.001-05:00

gleena for Mignon Faget

2011-11-23T09:40:00.001-05:00

For the last few months I have been producing my gourd bowls sets customized for Mignon Faget, a well-known designer in New Orleans. Mignon Faget provided the hive image, selected the color combinations, and gleena studios did the rest.

The x-large bowls are glazed.

After the glaze firing.

The hive transfer is applied and loaded into the kiln for a final firing.

After the transfers firing.

The final set of four: x-large in pumpkin, large in ivory, medium in slate blue, small in ivory.

The set is available through MignonFaget.com

gleena available online at abchome.com

2011-11-07T09:27:00.000-05:00

abchome.com

alabama chanin for heath ceramics: a modern heirloom

2011-11-06T08:44:00.000-05:00

Photograph by Spencer Higgins for T Magazine

Photograph courtesy of Heath Ceramics

Photographs courtesy of Alabama Chanin

The new line of Alabama Chanin’s patterns on Heath Ceramics is created by using a very old sgrafitto technique. Two layers of glaze are applied to the surface of the piece, the pattern is created by gently scraping off the top layer to reveal the layer underneath. Each pieces is scraped off by hand, resulting in an irregular pattern, the hand of the maker very much present. I love the combination of perfect machine-pressed form and the imperfect hand-applied surface that results.

murmuration:

2011-11-04T09:33:00.001-04:00

a rare flock of starlings. nature endlessly inspires.

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

Starling

wish i was there

2011-10-27T22:21:00.000-04:00

Beautiful photography by Anna Williams for Bellocq, a newly opened tea atelier in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York. Their line of handcrafted blends and organic full leaf teas can be purchased through Bellocq’s online shop. It is a place I will definitely visit during my trip to New York City in November. Can’t wait.

bookhou at home

2011-10-25T23:18:00.000-04:00

Currently a featured seller on etsy, Bookhou at Home's linen towels are simply lovely. Like an open window on a fresh spring day. To view more of Bookhou’s creations please visit bookhouathome.

still life saturday with apples

2011-10-22T12:43:00.000-04:00

painting by Caravaggio

painting by Gustave Courbet

painting by Elbe van Rooyen

multi-media by Colette Hosmer

painting by Paul Cézanne

painting by Yana Movchan

painting by Toan Thai

painting by Pablo Picasso

In Russia, my autumn was filled with apples. At our dacha, if there was a good crop from the apple trees that year, rooms would be filled to the ceiling with fruit. The house permeated with the apple scent. Some years there were so many apples, they would go unpicked, icing over on the branches. We would try to eat them, thinking they would taste like ice cream.

andrea cook’s delicate etchings

2011-10-21T10:03:00.000-04:00

Please visit Andrea Cook’s etsy shop for more.

perfection is macho. and boring. i like to see the hand of the maker. -hella jongerius

2011-10-13T22:48:00.002-04:00

Lately I have been focusing on the small imperfections in my work. When I look at gleena, all I see is where I have smudged or nicked or dripped it. I forget the meaning of handmade and Hella Jongerius jogs my memory. The imperfections are what make the work human.

300 hand-touched, imperfect Coloured Vases by Hella Jongerius were on display in the exhibition ‘Hella Jongerius – Misfit’ (13 November 2010 – 13 February 2011) at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam

lovely greens

2011-10-11T21:17:00.001-04:00

gray on gray

2011-10-04T14:18:00.000-04:00

The pieces have just come out of their molds, leather-hard, and beautiful with a soft satiny finish. The leather-hard stage is when the pieces are stiff enough to handle, but are not completely dried out. It is this surface that many ceramists strive to imitate with glaze, which unfortunately is impossible.

gorgeous sensuality of niche modern

2011-09-23T10:21:00.000-04:00

Jeremy Pyles of Niche Modern says: “Do what you love and the rest will follow…” This stunning line of glass pendants came into being in 2003, when Jeremy and his wife and business partner Mary Welch needed to fill the storefront window of their furniture shop with pendant lamps.

Not finding any lighting that struck a chord, Jeremy set out on a quest from Soho to Chinatown, gathering parts to create their own fixtures. Serendipitously running into a glassblower on the street, and doing a quick sketch right there and then, the very first pendant was created. Happy accidents are the best.

gleena in The Wall Street Journal

2011-09-19T10:38:00.000-04:00

A great article on handmade tableware by Shax Riegler was published in The Wall Street Journal this past weekend. A gleena swirl plate was featured, which is oh so exciting. I am in great company with many of my inspirations: Edith Heath, Frances Palmer, and Michele Michael. I love what Lisa Neimeth, a featured ceramist, had to say about handmade plates: “it’s sturdy enough to use every day, it’s meaningful and it could become a family heirloom someday.” Indeed!

Shax Riegler has a wonderful book coming out on September 23rd, Dish: 813 Colorful, Wonderful Dinner Plates. It looks beautifully designed in previews, and I can’t wait to get my copy.

8.27.2011

2011-09-13T22:39:00.001-04:00

Gourd bowls set for a couple married on August 27, 2011. This simple and elegant type treatment was suggested by the client.

don’t say goodbye to summer yet:

2011-09-03T10:55:00.001-04:00

Photos from NY Times, submitted by readers

I love it when The NY Times collects recipes from their readers and posts the photographs in a huge grid. Something very satisfying about that. Since I am still in summer mode, these recipes are just what I needed to chase away the approach of cold weather blues. Roasted Sweet Pepper Soup anyone? Or how about this super easy Bread And Butter Pickles recipe? Yum.

the simple elegance of michael flemming's work and home

2011-09-01T09:49:00.000-04:00

This morning I read an article in the NY Times about the home and work of Michael Flemming, a sculptor and furniture maker living in Maine. Mr. Flemming and his partner, Jennifer Wurst, live simply in a small rental house which they have lovingly painted and decorated to suit their minimal taste. Most of the artwork and furniture were made by Mr. Flemming from found driftwood, aged to the perfect silvery-sheen, a color echoed throughout their house. The rest of the furnishings have been salvaged from the dump. With Ms. Wurst’s eye for stylish gray-white simplicity, the resulting spaces are cozy, fresh, crisp, and beautiful.

the stuff to remember, by dana gallagher

2011-08-28T10:00:00.003-04:00

The Stuff To Remember is a photo journal by Dana Gallagher, a New York City based photographer. Dana documents everyday life with a painter’s eye, creating magical vignettes of light and shadow.

thank you, cooking light!

2011-08-24T17:17:00.001-04:00

The editors of Cooking Light magazine have selected gleena organic serving bowls as part of The Editor’s Dozen section in their September issue out right now. Thank you so much for a beautiful photo!

I'm in great company with Middle Kingdom’s lovely ceramic bottle vases (No. 3). I have been a fan of their work for many years.

ny gift fair: 08.11

2011-08-19T09:41:00.002-04:00

Photography by Nole Garey

A big thank you to Nole Garey from Oh So Beautiful Paper for these wonderful photographs of my tiny booth at the NY Gift Fair. Having forgotten my own camera, I am very grateful to her discerning eye. Nole captured some of my favorite exhibitors in her numerous postings on The Fair. See more of Nole’s selections here, here and here.

yummy linens by studiopatró

2011-08-18T15:57:00.000-04:00

My friend Agnethe found this delicious line of linen towels, aprons, and bags while visiting the NY Gift Fair. Studiopatró is located in San Francisco where they hand-cut, sew and print their graphically tasty linens.

an ocean-inspired serving set

2011-08-09T09:52:00.002-04:00

A wonderful commission for a couple whose wedding took place on the beach. The client and I talked about combining blue and white in an abstract wave pattern, and chose three different shells to apply to each piece. Each shell complements the shape of the piece it is applied to.

gleena at wellington garden centre in canada

2011-08-08T19:21:00.001-04:00

Look for these gleena blooms at Wellington Garden Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Click here to visit Wellington's website. I love the name Wellington, it rolls off the tongue nicely.

the hungry ghost and four + twenty blackbirds

2011-08-07T12:19:00.001-04:00

I met Andrea Gentl almost twenty years ago when I first arrived in NYC in the early nineties. Andrea's stunning photography drew me in with its haunting soulfulness. Over the years, I have been lucky to work with Andrea on a number of editorial stories as well as participate in the holiday craft sales she organized, first in her home, and then in a Manhattan photo studio.

Recently, I have been feasting on Andrea's blog, The Hungry Ghost, a delicious mix of photography and engaging, informative writing. The most recent entry about Four + Twenty Blackirds pie shop in Brooklyn inspired me. I've been dabbling in tart/pie making for the past year, and Andrea's write up on the unusual ingredients used by the two sisters who founded the shop, has excited me to bake more. I can't wait to try the butter and more butter crust. Click here for the recipe and more scrumptious photos.

Photography by Andrea Gentl

gleena at abc home

2011-07-28T11:51:00.001-04:00

I have loved ABC Home since moving to NYC in the early 90’s. It is such a visual treat to walk into their Broadway store, the gorgeous objects from around the world an inspiration. Their windows are always whimsical, sculptural installations, stories of a secret magical world. I am a little overwhelmed to be a part of their collection, and honored.

In store photos are by Anthony Librizzi (thanks Tony!)

pink hum by jill vasileff

2011-07-20T09:49:00.005-04:00

An installation by Jill Vasileff titled Pink Hum is deeply satisfying in its complex simplicity. Using tree branches found around her neighborhood and acrylic paint, Jill creates unique constellations one gets lost in. Each arrangement utilized the same amount of pieces, but just by placing them close together, or further apart, a completely different experience emerges. When packed together, the irregularly shaped pieces create a textural energetic canvas of intense color. When placed apart, the resulting sculpture is more meditative, the in-between spaces becoming just as important. From the side an unexpected three dimensionality is revealed.

Pink Hum is part of Jill’s She lives with peace that comes from the proper application of anesthesia series. View more of Jill’s work by clicking here.

theo and noelle

2011-07-01T12:46:00.002-04:00

A set of wee teas for little Theo and little Noelle, inscribed with words provided by their aunt. So fun.

farm show part five: the world is too full to talk about...

2011-06-20T15:13:00.001-04:00

Having English as my second language is an issue for me when it comes to communicating effectively. I have a hard time finding just the right words. This installation explores difficult vocabulary words, those I wish would roll off my tongue at just the right moments, words foreign to even some native English-speakers. All the letters of the alphabet are represented, with the word on the inside rim and the definitions on the side.

Available through farmprojectspace.com for the rest of the summer. Email or call the gallery for a price list and shipping info.

farm show part four: there is a field, i'll meet you there... when the soul lies down in that grass...

2011-06-19T18:25:00.003-04:00

Available through farmprojectspace.com for the rest of the summer. Email or call the gallery for a price list and shipping info.

farm show part three: from rumi

2011-06-06T09:39:00.001-04:00

Available through farmprojectspace.com for the rest of the summer. Email or call the gallery for a price list and shipping info.

farm show part two: advice to a young homemaker

2011-06-01T09:49:00.002-04:00

Exanding on Gift to Young Homemaker shown in the previous post, this small installation contains Russian and English active verbs. The Russian advice book lies at the foot of the alcove.

All pieces are sold individually and are available through farmprojectspace.com for the rest of the summer. Email or call the gallery for a price list and shipping info.

farm show part one: gift to a young homemaker

2011-05-30T15:46:00.016-04:00

My mom gave me a wonderful pre-Revolution Russian book, called Gift to a Young Homemaker. It is filled with everything from how to set a table, to what to do with a freshly-caught fish, to how to make your own beer. It is written in Old Russian, first published in 1861, but a lot of it is useful even in today’s modern world. The book was banned during Soviet Russia, due to it’s pre-Revolutionary content, though my family had a copy of it, as I am sure many other homemakers did (a quiet rebellion).

Keeping Gift in mind, I created a set table inspired by my Russian summers at our family’s dacha (a country house); now showing at farm. During Soviet times, a homemaker had to be inventive, growing and preserving food, as everyday necessities were hard to come by. With all the limitations, my grandmother still set a gorgeous table, using good china, outside.

I’m not a creative cook, like my grandmother and my mom, but I can make ceramics to serve the food. The pieces I create are not meant for a specific dish, they evoke the handmade, the outdoors, the specialness of friends and family getting together in a beautiful environment.

The table-setting at farm incorporates Russian recipes scanned from Gift, English words relating to the taste of food and the emotion/experience of a family gathering, plus family slides from my childhood. By merging my two cultures, I reach out to my Russian heritage, and introduce English speakers to a little-known historical moment. The exhibit also brings together my love of ceramics with my love of typography.

All pieces are sold individually and are available through farmprojectspace.com for the rest of the summer. Email or call the gallery for a price list and shipping info.

lisiy nos, 1970-1079

2011-05-09T09:37:00.000-04:00

I have started archiving images from my family’s dacha, during the time that I was there in the 1970's. The photographs are taken mostly by my step grandfather, and some by my grandmother. They so completely capture the beauty of that time, that I felt like I had to share them, and started a posting them here. My ceramic work is also a record of those memories.

exhibit at farm in wellfleet, cape cod, massachusetts

2011-05-06T09:16:00.001-04:00

My month of May is busy getting ready for this show, my very first solo exhibit. So exciting, and a little scary...

Click on the image for a larger view.

dessert plates and tartelette

2011-04-28T21:47:00.000-04:00

If you haven't yet visited Tartelette, now is a good time to do so. Helene Dujardin, Tartelette’s author, stylist, and photographer, has just published a wonderful new book, Plate to Pixel. Two copies of the book are being given away as well as four gleena dessert plates (white with calligraphy numbers as shown below). All you have to do is leave a comment on Helene’s blog. April 29th is the last day to enter.

Photograph by Helene Dujardin

a tart break

2011-04-24T18:46:00.000-04:00

Lately I have been making tarts. It is such a nice break from the physicality of making ceramics. And you don't have to wait 36 hours to see the baked results! This is a red onion, pear, brie, kalamata olive tart with home-made crust. I like making the crust the best, and this one is quite simple.

1 cup of unbleached all purpose flour
pinch of salt
fresh ground pepper
1 stick of butter
I added thyme too.
1/2 cup cold water

Mix the dry ingredients, grate in the butter, mix with your hand until the flour and butter are like little peas. Slowly add in the water a tablespoon at a time. You might not need the whole 1/2 cup, just until the dough is soft and sticks together well. Rest in the fridge for 1 hour. Roll out to 1/8 thickness with plenty of flour. I like using a tart pan, but you can do it just on a cookie sheet, this tart won't run. Layer onion, pear, sprinkle with sugar, add the layer of brie, top with kalamata olives. Bake for 25-30 minutes. It turns our beautiful and tasty (sweet+savory) every time.

glazing vases

2011-04-20T09:41:00.000-04:00

Glazing is a long process, can't say it's my favorite. So much can go wrong, and you don't know that it has gone wrong until the pieces are fired. Dust is enemy No. 1. It can prevent the glaze from sticking to the surface, and you end up with bald spots. Glazing vases is especially tricky. It's hard to get inside to sponge off the dust, so I blow it out as much as I can, and then, well, hope for the best.

This batch came out well, yeay.

Applying the transfers is the next step. Many ask me to explain my transfer process. And all I can recommend is to visit BelDecal. And test their transfers with your clay body and your glazes at your temperature.

My glazes work well with my porcelain. I fire my transfers at a specific temperature that works for my glazes. What works for me will not work for anyone else, as I mix my own porcelain and glazes. I'm not being rude when I say the best way to learn is by trying and failing, and by taking a class. I failed many times, and I spent two years in grad school developing what I do now. And I still fail often. But I still love it, and keep on trying and testing. And when things turn out just right, well... it's like Christmas.

deirdre hawthorne’s sunprints

2011-04-18T06:00:00.003-04:00

Deirdre Hawthorne, an artist residing in Northern Ireland, creates exquisite cyanotypes on paper as well as ceramics. Sir John Herschel (mathematician, chemist, astronomer, inventor, photographer, botanist) discovered this photographic printing process in 1842 as a means to reproduce notes and diagrams, as in a blueprint. I have never seen the technique used on ceramics. The surface has to be porous to absorb the chemicals, so Deirdre uses her delicately thin bisque-ware. The results are ethereal, a landscape captured on a three dimensional form.

Deirdre’s prints on paper feel like watercolor paintings, gestural brush strokes of juicy color.

what a treat...

2011-04-13T05:49:00.000-04:00

...it is to see my work photographed by my customers. I feel fortunate that my ceramics appeals to artists. Below are photographs from a lovely Franco-Russian blog, veshiwish.

Thank you, Anna, for your support and for your beautiful photography!

simply stunning

2011-04-11T06:00:00.001-04:00

Photograph courtesy of Cannelle et Vannille

Aran, who writes and styles and photographs one of my favorite blogs, Canelle Et Vanille, is publishing a cook book in the fall of 2012. It will be gorgeous, and I cannot wait to see it. And how lucky that some of gleena pieces are used in the styling? The ivory dessert bowls, shown above, are decorated with an illustration by Cynthia Treen. Thank you, Aran, for your beautiful and inspiring work.

i love mud

2011-04-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

How inspiring is this Australian company, from their catalogue graphics to their product? I am enamored, and have been for a very long time.

all images are from mudaustralia.com

something about swirls

2011-04-06T20:09:00.000-04:00

One of my customers, Leanne, forwarded the above image to me. Leanne created beautiful swirl napkins to match her set of gleena swirl plates. They look fantastic. I love how graphic the napkins are when they are folded. Thank you, Leanne, for this incredible photo!

berries on gleena

2011-04-04T21:12:00.001-04:00

It is not a coincidence that my dog is named Berrie, berries are my favorite food ever. And what's better than a collection of berries, arranged on a gleena plate? I can't really think of anything...

This beautiful image was created by Helene from Tartelette.

script dessert plates

2011-03-22T18:33:00.002-04:00

A commission of pink dessert plates with antique calligraphy running along the rim.

gleena’s spring dessert plates at gump’s in san francisco

2011-03-21T17:26:00.001-04:00

With the grayness and the rain-ness and snowy-ness, it doesn’t feel like spring in Rhode Island today. But these dessert plates, created for Gump’s in San Fran, keep me hopeful for warmth, sun and flowers soon.

a wedding gift serving bowl

2011-03-17T15:26:00.002-04:00

The largest of the gourd bowl series, personalized for a couple with a quote from their invitation:

I love the idea of this bowl being used at family dinners, reminding the couple of their wedding day, and of their vows.

new studio

2011-03-12T15:43:00.001-05:00

The best part about my new studio is that now everything is in its place. I have room to do all the different parts of the casting process. The process starts by making the original piece, either thrown on the wheel, or carved out of plaster or wood. Sometimes I will make molds from found objects, like the gourd bowls. I make the molds from plaster, two to three of each original shape. Each mold takes a few hours to set up, and a few days to dry.

Then I mix the slip, liquid porcelain, my own formula. I pour the slip into the molds. The pieces pop out, I finish each edge with a sponge by going around and around the rim. The pieces dry and go into the bisque firing. Then they get glazed. If the color is different from inside to out, the inside is glazed first, then dried, then glazed on the outside, and dried again. The glaze fire takes 36 hours, counting the cool-down time.

After the glaze firing, the image transfer is applied, and the piece is fired one more time. This firing takes about 30 hours.

My new studio allows me to move between all the different phases with ease, not having to pack one up to allow for the other. I breathe easier here.

plates, 1-10

2011-03-11T18:32:00.000-05:00

A set of custom 10-inch plates, numbered 1-10.

lovely tarts

2011-03-04T10:04:00.000-05:00

gleena dessert plate with calligraphy is used on the cover of this yummy book. Photography by Helene Dujardin.

oh moving

2011-03-03T16:26:00.000-05:00

The hardest part about moving my studio was packing up all my molds. They are heavy, and fragile. Thankfully, my friend Alec is an expert packer, and created quite a sculpture with the molds he packed. This is just one of the shelving units loaded up. There were three total.

i miss summer No. 2

2011-02-24T09:57:00.001-05:00

Oval serving tray, a new shape for me, 16" long, 12" wide. With hand-holds on either side for easy carrying.

clouds in a blue sky plate

2011-02-22T17:45:00.002-05:00

I poured first the white glaze, then the blue, in layers on this plate. I like the effect. Perhaps do a whole place setting with this pattern?

daily drop cap poster by jessica hische

2011-02-21T22:41:00.001-05:00

A stunning letter-pressed poster by Jessica Hische, featuring the daily drop cap stars. Jessica is an artist that keeps inspiring me with every one of her creations. As well as her prolific work ethic. Impressive.

new gourd bowl shape, and new glazing

2011-02-11T23:02:00.001-05:00

This is a new addition to my gourd bowl series, it holds 8 cups, and the orange interior is new as well. I’m experimenting with two color options for the gourd bowls, as opposed to the same color inside and out. What do you think?

delicate botanicals from f2images

2011-02-10T12:12:00.004-05:00

lovely and intricate postcards by f2images, click here to go to their shop.

breakfast is my favorite meal of the day

2011-02-09T16:56:00.002-05:00

There was a time when I would grab a bagel and coffee on the way to work and eat at my desk. This was in NYC, when I worked for a design firm, and another life time. Now that I make my own ceramics, they get plenty of use in my house, especially at breakfast. I love a full, leisurely breakfast as I catch up on news and emails: tea, yogurt with granola, and maybe even some toast and jam. That’s why I created this breakfast set. It reminds me of summer with its bright color and sweet bird and flower. I can really use some summer right now.

Available on etsy in gleenashop.

jennifer & matt, sipping tea and eating cake every new year's day for their anniversary

2011-02-07T11:33:00.000-05:00

What a fun commission for a couple married on Jan 1, 2011.

a respite from winter (and studio)

2011-02-06T18:20:00.003-05:00

What a glorious day it was today, and B and I took full advantage of it by going to the beach. That's why I live in RI.

gauge nyc: custom words

2011-02-05T11:29:00.002-05:00

I am amazed by the fluidity of the words created by Gauge NYC out of simple wire. I love their idea of typography on a wall, easily installed by puncturing two small holes. Are you a poet, a writer, a lyricist? Contact Gauge through their etsy shop, and have your words transformed into sculpture.

ny gift fair

2011-02-04T17:12:00.000-05:00

A big storm put a bit of a damper on the NY Gift Fair, but I still had a wonderful time, and met great people. My neighbors at the fair kept my spirits up, and the five days flew by, even though retailer traffic was somewhat slow. Gleena was picked up by stores in Pittsburgh, Seattle, Chicago, and Canada, to name just a few new locations. I’m excited to get the collections out to them. Thank you for all your support. Your feedback is what encourages me to keep on showing my work.

set up for the ny gift fair

2011-01-24T18:11:00.001-05:00

To view at a larger size, please click on the image.

To figure out what pieces I need for the NY Gift Fair, I set up a mock booth in my studio. I like organizing by color, and it seems to make sense for my work. I have many different images that I work with, and the color holds it all together. The missing pieces are coming out of the kiln on Thursday, the day I leave for NYC. I always have to work until the very last minute. I've been like that since high school, writing my senior thesis until dawn of the day it was due.

miss you, summer...

2011-01-19T17:24:00.000-05:00

sunflower dinner platters for mom, set of eight

2011-01-17T17:27:00.001-05:00

marine specimens from erin tyner

2011-01-12T17:36:00.000-05:00

All this snow has me thinking about the beach, and these marine beauties from Erin Tyner’s etsy shop.

beautiful new website from karen mordechai

2011-01-11T21:17:00.000-05:00

To view Karen’s full site, please click here.

a lovely way to start off the week

2011-01-10T20:52:00.004-05:00

Printed on a damask napkin, an old recipe for Irish soda bread, baked by Georgia O’Keeffe every day of her life. From Pilosale.

a sweet for your sweet?

2011-01-09T20:43:00.000-05:00

Canelle et Vanille, one of my favorite blogs, used the butterfly serving platter and the fern dessert plate beautifully. I can’t wait to make that tart. Thank you, Aran!

typography by angelique

2011-01-07T12:01:00.000-05:00

Lovely lovely typography from Angelique, an etsy shop owner. To view more of Angi’s creations, click here.

HAPPY 2011!

2011-01-03T11:20:00.001-05:00

To celebrate the upcoming new year, I would like to give away two sets of the wee teas, one set spells out “HAPPY” the other set “2011”. Please visit my facebook page by January 2nd to enter the drawing.

And the winners are:

HAPPY cup set goes to Olivia Hallman Ullrich
2001 cup set goes to Karen Donohue Fleer
and the ! cup goes to Colleen Reilly

Happy New Year!

a summery table setting to warm up the holidays

2010-12-22T16:31:00.002-05:00

I love this custom table setting with eight white platters, large organic bowls in mustard, and small organic bowls in pale green. Each bowl has a different summer image in the bottom: either a grasshopper, moth, butterfly, shell or flower. All together the set creates a summery atmosphere, even in the cold of winter.

beachcombing collections from quercus design on etsy

2010-12-15T09:32:00.002-05:00

I am obsessed with multiples of things, and collections (that’s why I keep making more and more ceramics), and was immediately drawn to this work by Quercus Design. The serenity of the found objects arranged in a grid is soothing to me, like applying order on a chaotic world.

The above images can be purchased from Quercus Design’s Etsy shop.

still life saturday with elephant ceramics

2010-12-11T12:09:00.000-05:00

All photographs are from elephant ceramics.

wee t's: popular for the holidays

2010-12-08T21:01:00.002-05:00

wee t’s being fired in the Big T kiln

all these are custom orders! fun!

wishing you a yummy thanksgiving

2010-11-23T10:05:00.000-05:00

photograph by Helene Dujardin

A very scrumptious Drunken Pumpkin Bourbon Tart With Mascarpone Cream, from My Tartelette. That’s what I’m making for this Thursday, served on gleena dessert plates, of course.

How about you? Any special family recipes?

u r the 1

2010-11-18T16:36:00.001-05:00

I love this wedding commission, the idea came completely from my client. It just makes me smile. The couple’s names and the date of their wedding is on the bottom of the plates. I can see them having tea and cake on every anniversary.

sweet little things

2010-11-16T16:24:00.003-05:00

Sometimes a few simple words will remind us to look around, to notice, and to be present.

The pendants are hand-formed porcelain, each one is unique. They are glazed on one side, left naturally smooth on the other. They feel a little bit like ocean-washed pebbles.

Available on Etsy.

blues, whites, with a touch of pink, at Lori McLean in New York City

2010-11-15T12:52:00.000-05:00

Lori McLean’s lovely store is located in the West Village on Grove Street between Bleecker Street & 7th Avenue, click here to visit the website.

roly polys and organic bowls at Gayley Gardens in West Hartford, CT

2010-11-09T16:15:00.002-05:00

Visit them in person at Gayley Gardens: 32 Orchard Road, West Hartford, CT 06117 (860) 313-8010

eternal summer dessert plates and 16oz mugs at Dona Flor on Newbury Street in Boston

2010-11-08T10:32:00.001-05:00

Please visit Dona Flor’s store, it's lovely, and filled with gorgeous handmade ceramics from France. For more information and directions click here to visit Dona's website.

gleena desserts plates, tulip cups and rustic bowls at edgewater gallery in vermont

2010-11-05T17:18:00.000-04:00

Please visit gleena at Edgewater Gallery in Middlebury, VT, click here to view their wonderful collection of artists.

beautiful new cookbook from Gentl and Hyers Photography

2010-10-28T09:18:00.000-04:00

Andrea Gentl and Marty Hyers have been creating beautiful photographs for many years. Their Clean Start Cookbook images are stunning. I love the variety of hand-made ceramics used to show off the food. A few gleena pieces made it in, too. To view more images from this book, please click here.

gleena in the November issue of Martha Stewart Living

2010-10-20T16:23:00.002-04:00

Great Finds opener, gleena’s orange dessert plate is in the upper left.
Photograph by Raymond Hom.

Dessert bowls with an illustration by Cynthia Treen.
Photograph by Marcus Nilsson
Styling by Ayesha Patel.

Serving platter with an illustration by Cynthia Treen.
Photograph by Marcus Nilsson
Styling by Ayesha Patel.

sunday, october 24th, gleena at sowa

2010-10-16T10:52:00.007-04:00

click here for details
weather will be mostly sunny, in the upper 50’s.
* don’t you just love their graphics?

gleena and Harney & Sons

2010-10-14T16:00:00.010-04:00

I have been an admirer of Harney & Sons Fine Teas for a long long time. I was first drawn to their exquisite packaging, and then got hooked on the superb tea. For a few years I have been wanting to send Harney & Sons my wee teas, thinking that the two belong together. How serendipitous it was that I met the Harney family at The NY Gift Fair? And here is the result of our meeting: a Harney & Sons wee tea alphabet, with the names of the teas Harney & Sons carries. The perfect blend of my graphic design experience and my ceramic inclination. My favorite project to date (and a dream come true).

To see the cups in person, visit the Harney & Sons Tea Tasting Room on Main Street, The Railroad Plaza, Millerton, NY.

thank you Providence Journal for a wonderful article this past Saturday

2010-10-04T12:25:00.006-04:00

Photography by Kris Craig for The Providence Journal

Click here to go to full article.

platters and more platters

2010-09-28T22:15:00.000-04:00

For what seems like months and months I have been making platter after platter. Sixty of them to be exact. Whew, I had no idea what I got myself into when I took the order. They are all finally done, thanks to Big T, my new kiln. When Bethanie (the old Skutt kiln) could only fit 4-5 of the plates at a time, Big T fits 15. And fires them all using less energy.

I want to do some fancy photo shoot with this many platters before I send them to the client. It would be fun to set a really long table...

mmmm...europe...

2010-09-27T10:00:00.000-04:00

This Cities of Europe bus scroll from TransitDesign reminds me that I have not traveled in Europe for a very long time. I’ve been to eight of these cities, I think Barcelona is next on the agenda. Soon.

sometimes I forget to...

2010-09-26T09:37:00.001-04:00

Tumbler available on my etsy shop, please click here for details.

collections

2010-09-21T09:10:00.001-04:00

My friends’ Al and Rachel’s house was recently posted on Apartment Therapy, and I had to share some of my favorite parts: their collections. In fact, Rachel’s nature specimens collection (shown below) started my own.

Their plates collection is inspiring me to do the same...

My favorite collection is the leaves simply mounted on the wall...

See Al and Rachel’s full house tour here, photographed by the talented Sarah Rainwater.

still life saturday with Faye Toogood

2010-09-18T09:48:00.001-04:00

All photography is from Faye Toogood's website, click here to visit.

to keep Bethanie company arrives Big T

2010-09-16T11:23:00.000-04:00

Most of you know Bethanie, my 10-year old Skutt kiln who has been serving me faithfully for the past 5 years. The wood carving on the wall behind Bethanie was done by my father when we lived in Russia. It is of an ancient pagan god, and he looks over my firings.

My work load has increased drastically since the NY Gift Fair, and Bethanie just can't keep up. So I got her a friend, Big T. Big T is a ConeArt kiln, and fits three times as many pieces as Bethanie. He is all chromed out, and a super fast fire-er.

Having Big T makes my life so much easier, and delivery times three times faster. He was a gift from my mom, my biggest supporter. Thank you, mom!

magaly ponce's whale-inspired multi-media exhibit

2010-09-14T16:59:00.000-04:00

Last month my friend Magaly Ponce organized a whale-watching trip. Magaly has been volunteering on a boat for the summer, videotaping, and recording whales. Our outing was breathtaking, gorgeous weather, and a sighting of six whales, two of them babies. As we were leaving, three of them jumped out of the water for a triple breach finale, a very rare occurrence. It gives me goosebumps just to think of that moment. Whales are magical.

And so is Magaly's exhibit now on view at 65 Eddie Street, downtown Providence. I have captured just a small portion of the experience Magaly created, visit it yourself for the closing this Thursday, the 16th, during Providence's gallery night.

for baby

2010-09-07T16:24:00.001-04:00

A set of three gourd bowls commissioned for a new baby in the family, with the full name, date, and time of birth. I can see this set being used for every birthday the child will have.