I’ve had this imagery in my head for over 10 years: A winged horse, soaring, twisting and turning in the air, clearly flying for the joy of it. Because it can fly!!

I’ve tried three times to sculpt this. But I always abandon it because a.) Sculpting wings is annoying and tedious!; b.) Engineering it onto a suitable base that would support the in-flight idea was inevitably not satisfying. I hate clear pegs, posts, rods, and pretty much all bases; c.) It is hard to imagine casting it in ceramic and having any pieces survive!

Last month I had the thought to sculpt this concept into a low-relief tile/plaque. I’ve been needing a new item to use as a giftware item from the studio. (As I celebrate my 60th birthday in April, I’m devoting more of my artistic and hobby energy to Giving Back and Paying Forward.)

Here is the result. It’s still not exactly as I can see it in my mind, but it’s close.

I’ve named the piece “If I Could Fly”, and in resin it measures 4” x 12”. A nice BIG canvas for those who love to paint things!!

It’s going to officially debut this July as the overall champion prizes at The Resin Futurity model horse show, a Breyerfest event. You can buy one of 25 resin casts available at that event… and then from me if you bump into me during Breyerfest. Then another 25 will be for sale on my website July 17th.

I also expect to produce these in ceramic, hopefully porcelain. Plus maybe transparent resin and cast glass!!

They will be primarily used for GIFTING, so that’s why the for-sale quantity next summer is limited.

I’ve started painting one in acrylics and oils:

Just think of how many great ways the sky alone could be painted!

Keep following, for more details. Westerly Design is on Facebook, and I’m now on Instagram: @traveldogartpony.

 

 

 

Here is a newly completed custom glaze project, now up for sale in a website-based online auction. 

AUCTION ENDS:Sunday, October 7, 2018, at 6 pm MST.
UPDATE: AUCTION HAS ENDED with the buy it now option.

This is a very rare china “Sencillo” Mustang sculpted by Jennifer Scott, of Aspen Leaf Studios. (The link sends you to the Sencillo bone china edition page.) There were only 10 OFs made in one colorway, and no update on how many CMG pieces are out there. It was cast in fine English bone china by Animal Artistry, and Jennifer generously made one of the bisques (without the base) available to me as a guest finisher.

This one has been glazed by me to a glossy finish bay roan tobiano. It is a wonderful sculpture and was a pleasure to glaze. 

I’m holding a web-based best offers auction for this guy. Please go to this link for all the details.

I made my decision about which china piece to glaze (from a group of GREAT proposals). The owner of the chosen one has already been contacted privately.

Many, many, thanks to everyone who sent in an idea. I want to let you know that I am keeping ALL of them here in a folder, and I may still contact you at some other time to glaze your chinas.

I decided to not take on more than one this season, because I do have some glazing projects of my own I want very much to complete. My #1 priority for this fall is to finish this new action Arabian sculpture, tentatively named “Ghazir” which means “exultant, rapturous, cheerful, exuberant” in Arabic.

I hope you have a wonderful autumn season. It’s my favorite time of year here in the Colorado High Country. As the Aspens start turning all shades of gold and orange, we are on the lookout for the first signs of snow on the high peaks!

A quick reminder that the deadline to get a proposal in to me for a custom glazing commission is September 1st. A week from today.

I have received many great ideas so far and I might choose two instead of just one! So give it a shot. You may discover it’s not that expensive, since you own the china bisque and I just do the glazing.

Go to the original commission blog post for all details.

Thank you!

A “Sharif” that I custom glazed in 2017. Sculpture by Brigitte Eberl, a bone china bisque produced by Horsing Around.

I just agreed to take on a custom glazing commission, from someone who inquired with what I guess I’d say was… the Right Thing At The Right Time.

I’m also currently in the zone with a new sculpture that I started in late July. I find that it is great to bounce between these two very different work things. When I’m stalled or bored with one I can go to the other and stay fresh and engaged overall.

Since I’ve been telling everyone that I’m closed to glazing commissions indefinitely… I think it’s only fair to offer a slot to everyone else. Just one. I’m usually at my most productive in the studio in fall/winter so it’s a good time. My creative juices always rise like sap in the fall. I wonder why that is?

Rules for sending in a CMG proposal for consideration

Please read everything below before you make a proposal. Write out your answers to the questions and send it in an email to me. I will choose one proposal and send that person a price quote. The commission will be finished by the end of March 2019 or sooner.

Deadline to submit a commission proposal: September 1, 2018.  Email Karen

Terms:
Depending upon whether we’ve worked together before, I may ask for a good-faith deposit upfront. You’ll be expected to pay in full by the time the piece is finished and ready to ship. I will keep you updated regularly on progress so that you’ll know when payment will be due. There are no time payment plans accepted, but you’ll basically have until end of next March to gather the funds.

If I finish the glazing and you can’t pay… remember I’ve got your china piece and will be keeping it until you do. And possibly there will be other consequences for extreme non-payment, like putting the piece up for sale. I will respect and protect the valuable china you send me. My time and skills are valuable too; please respect and honor that.

Disclaimers:
Overglazing is super great for predictability of color, outcomes, and consistency. I have over 15 years experience doing this and a lot of confidence. But glazing a china piece has some risks involved. Unexpected things happen in the kiln. Possibly minor changes in the color or markings you specify might need to be made if something didn’t fire the right way. Fortunately this is rare and a lot of goofs/flaws can be easily fixed or painted over. So don’t worry too much!

If I make a mistake in the process of glazing, please be assured that you will be compensated in full for the value of the unglazed china. But think twice about proposing a rare china that can’t be replaced.

Any china piece I agree to glaze must be undamaged and unrestored. I will first test-fire in the kiln any piece I receive to glaze. If it falls apart in the kiln due to hidden restorations or other flaws (which has happened to me!!!) I will not be held liable for that test-fire damage to a piece you that thought was mint. Some porcelain restorations are very very good!

Writing your proposal

1. What china horse do you want glazed?

Name and describe the bisque or glazed china that you want to have glazed. I can glaze almost any kind of white ceramic… earthenware, bone china, porcelain, etc.

I can also overglaze an existing colored china, like a Hagen-Renaker current re-issue piece. (I cannot remove the existing color of the china to make the piece bisque or white again.) Keep in mind for these, that I can most often only go darker, so a light color on the original is best.

2. What color do you want?

Tell me which kind of commission this is; what kind of commission-er you are! I will consider proposals where:
— I choose the color entirely.
— You say “bay” and I choose the white markings.
— You are hyper-specific down to the last detail.

Reference photos are highly recommended/helpful. Complexity of the color will dictate price and amount of time needed to do the work.

3. What final finish do you want?

It can be glossy, matte or satin. I can put gloss and matte areas on the same piece, too.

4. One complete proposal per email only!

You can send in more than one proposal; as many as you like. I have no idea what submission of piece or color will catch my fancy. But each proposal must be sent in SEPARATE EMAILS.

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Want to see examples of my past glazing work? Go to my website and have a look around! There’s lots to see.

Thanks for your interest and here’s my email link again, for submission(s): Email Karen