Christmas 2022

 

Merry Christmas to You and Yours.

May your days be merry and bright

And may all your Christmases be white

Gina

A new kitchen in Washington DC gets a new hearth treatment

I sense a renewed  interest 

in hand painted ceramic tiles.

My tiles are hand painted with Italian powder pigments.

This is how they look before they are fired.  

I begin by painting circles on once fired bisque tiles.

The books are there to steady my arm.

I center the tiles on the Banding Wheel and place the color laden brush on the tile and let the wheel spin.

(keeping fingers crossed that the lines will meet where they began)

There is a shop in Deruta Italy, (Mondo Ceramica) where I purchase my pigments, glazes and brushes. 

There is enough to last a lifetime. 

I recently noticed that I use more yellow than any other pigment. That could be an excuse to head for Deruta on our upcoming trip to Italy in April. 

I might even stop in at the Scuola d' Arte and visit with my favorite teacher.   

Once the images have been completely painted,  2 coats of clear glaze is applied. 

They will now go into my kiln and be fired to 1823 degrees Fahrenheit.  

This is when the pigments fuse with the clear glaze and this is when the magic happens.  

 The firing cycle lasts a little over 24 hours.  

The colors will never fade, they are permanent.  

They are painted in the 600-year-old Italian Maiolica tradition. 

The only difference is that they are painted in Utah, and not in Italy.  

My tiles will last many lifetimes no matter how many times you scrub or clean them. 

 This is my favorite kind of tile to paint.  

They all tell a story. 

Spring is coming to our neck of the woods.  

Hallelujah. 

Gina

Maestro Romano Ranieri

The great Maestro Romano Ranieri will be laid to rest today at the Church of Pontenuovo di Deruta, Umbria, Italy.  

Romano Ranieri

"He prefers not to be exalted."

"Proudly, he is the artistic director at the Romano Ranieri School of Ceramic Art in Deruta.
Romano Ranieri is one of our most appreciated and loved artists... producing the most beautiful ceramics with superior characteristics."

ginaceramics

Vividly, I remember my first day painting at the Scuola d' Arte Ceramica in Deruta, Italy

I painted the tile you see above on my second day of instructions

This is "my" desk at the Scuola

This tile was my first assignment.  After a few hours of painting, Professor Nicola Boccini decided that I could move on to a more difficult pattern.  This is the way the school tests your level of expertise. 

I've painted at this fantastic school several times.  Students walk in and out all day.  They are encouraged to paint when they can.  Always, the most revered Maestro, Romano Ranieri, is painting while keeping an eye on every student.  He graciously offers his help whenever needed. 

The Maestro gave me this beautiful book which contains many of his important works. 

Forever I will cherish the lovely message he wrote. 

Maestro Romano Ranieri, Deruta, Italy

Maestro Romano Ranieri

Maestro Romano Ranieri

Maestro Romano Ranieri

Maestro Romano Ranieri

Maestro Romano Ranieri

Maestro Romano Ranieri

All of the above Maestro Romano Ranieri

Thank You Maestro Ranieri 

Gina 

It was a big Day!

And it was a very successful day.

Made money for the old School restoration

and a little money for myself.

An early morning stroll through the historic center of Deruta, Umbria, Italy, with my camera last October.
Thought you might like to see how the Italians do it.

Have a great week my dear

Blogging Friends

The Year that was - Part II

Never imagined that I would be so fortunate.

And travel to Europe every year.

All ceramics by Gina

To paint ceramics at the Scuola d'Arte in Deruta, Umbria, Italy.

If you have always wanted to do something special, this might be the year for you...I hope that it is.

Gina 

Abundance

Someone, please stop me!

Last week I couldn't stop painting.

This week I can't stop canning.

Our garden is overflowing with produce.

Some of it will have to wait till we get back from Europe.

Our champagne grapes have produced my very special

Champagne Grape Jelly.

We have a bumper crop this year.

The rest will have to become "Spätlese"

Paris, Soprabolzano, Deruta and all places in between are calling.

We will be there in a few days.

Gina

Orchids and Ceramics

A Passion for both . . . . Happy Sunday Morning




The white with pink centered Phalaenopsis are my favorites, and then there are the yellow with pink and then the chartreuse with pink . . . . .





And then there are the ceramics by Deruta, Italy artist Giovanni Marinetti. Giovanni is a devastatingly handsome young man. His mother owns the "La Torre Maioliche Artistiche" shop in Deruta. She features many artists, but who can resist Giovanni's work? I can't. Look for them way in the back, in the catacombs, signed "GM".


And, while you are visiting Deruta, have lunch next door at the "La Locanda del Bracconiere" owned by two beautiful sisters who serve fantastic lunches and dinners, and not expensive. Try to be in Deruta on a Tuesday, market day.


Gina