Looking ahead to when I am all settled back into my studio routine this summer, I would like to restart my Go-To List on glazing-only china horse commissions. This was working well for me before I left for the UK.

It is a very simple and informal system. You email me that you are interested in my glazing work on X china horse, to your color choice. When I have a bisque of that particular horse ready to go I contact the next person on the list who wants one of those, quote a price and a (fairly short) timeline for completion. This works really well for me because I only start a piece when I am ready. There’s no big backlog pressure, it’s just my “go-to” list of those interested in a commission. And there’s no commitment on your part either. If I have a slot open and you’re next, you can just decline if you’re not ready or no longer interested.

From my own china sculpture “back catalog”, you can ask for Heart of Darkness Oldenburg (large or small), Boreas or Halfling Boreas Percheron, Optime Arabian, Streetwise Quarter Horse, and possibly a Caprice Holsteiner (but that mold is about gone). I will making all castings in earthenware china, but I may also have a few bone chinas from my archives to offer. Since Alchemy in England no longer has my molds, there won’t be any more bone chinas made of my older work. I’m still thinking about whether to have new sculptures made in England for bone china.

Commissions on the Go-To List also will include glazing your bisque china horse sculpted by someone else. So if you’ve got a bisque looking for clothes, you can get it in my queue. Please let me know what you have first. I don’t glaze just anything… and I especially can’t glaze one-of-a-kind bisques or anything not easily replaceable if something goes wrong in the kiln.

I can also custom-overglaze an existing glazed china piece from mass-producer potteries like Hagen-Renaker. You can order one of their current re-issue horses in the white-grey color and then I can fire just about any gorgeous custom color into the glaze. I have a few of these myself that I am eager to glaze when I get back. PLEASE talk to me first BEFORE you order one of these from H-R. Here’s a fleabit grey “Sheba” I glazed:

I charge anywhere from $500 to $2000+ for my work (lower of course if the bisque is one you send me)… it all depends on the complexity of the color.

I’m eager to get going on casting chinas from my molds, but they won’t arrive until roughly 8 weeks after we get home. Then I must get up to speed on this work and firing them successfully (and who knows how long that will take). But eventually I hope I will be able to offer an ongoing group of clay-customized earthenware pieces. I will cast a horse, sculpt some customizations, and then put each one up for sale/auction with the buyer being able to choose the final glazed color. (I will be offering all claybody custom chinas at auction or something as they come up, so you can’t get on the To-Do List for those.) I am especially excited about putting leg feathers, long tails, new manes, etc. on Boreas and Halfling Boreas. Plus show-braided ones, moved heads… lots of possibilities! And Heart of Darkness is begging for a sentimental re-emergence with a few customized versions. That piece is 15 years old now!! (I just realized I don’t have any photos of HoD on my webpage any more.)

To get on the Go-To List, you can reply directly to this email (if you’re getting it in your inbox) or go to my blog or website and use the contact link there. You must include:

• Which bisque. If one of mine, tell me if you only want a bone china (very limited availability on those, and will be a higher price)

• Your color choice. Must be specific. I work my Go-To list based on what color I feel like glazing, in addition to what horse becomes available!

• Your full name, address, and the email address I should use to contact you (it may be months from now)

I am totally looking forward to a summer of getting reacquainted with Fido The Kiln!