Sunday, July 10, 2011

gold dust

I've always wanted to add gold embellishments to my pottery. I think growing up in California exposes you to gold fever. So there is a brush stroke here and there on the porcelain cups above. Can you see it on the tips of the bird's wings?

Cup backs. These are slab built porcelain.

I panned for gold when I was ten. I remember the little particles of gold dust glinting in the sun.




This is my husband's ancestors from Sutter Creek , California. Gold Rush country.


I visited this house and met Gramps standing up in back on the right. He was 97at the time. I was 20. They had chickens coming in and out of the kitchen and an ancient orchard out the back. The floorboards creaked like a chorus of frogs. I loved it there.
div>
They came out in the 1840's not to strike it rich in mining, but in logging. All those miners needed wood for houses when they struck the mother lode.


The dog's name was Sampson.

An old plate with gold paint next to a beaker.

These are porcelain, so they are light.



My plans for these cups. The instuctions for using the gold are:


Immaculate brush only used for gold. Apply gold to finished piece in its own firing. These pieces were fired three times.Wipe down a glazed piece with rubbing alchohol.


Cleaning brush in the special solution to keep the brush supple. It goes on red, so its easy to see your strokes.


Fire at 018. Which is about 1377 degrees.
A vase shape where the flowers spill out nicely.
my first bud vase!
I'm hoping there is a pink butterfly out there somewhere.
Also did a couple of cups the old school way!




xx


julie




juliewhitmorepottery.etsy.com

54 comments:

salty pebble said...

so beautiful with the slight bruh strokes of gold- how lovely- i love reading your family history.
always so enchanting and sweet, such an inspiration you are julie xx p.s i love your note drawings for future works too.

Connys Cottage said...

very very lovely.

hugs CONNY

Deb said...

Everything looks so pretty together on the shelf. That bird vase...oh my!

hens teeth said...

Julie, I am in awe. x

susan jenkins said...

Oh boy these new works are just blow away gorgeous! I LOVE them ALL. Love the gold, it turned out just perfect! I so really love the cups, so much beautiful work!!
xx Sis

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

~~~ beautiful...what a wonderful post..i enjoyed every delicious bit of it...the cups are CHARMING beyond words...LOVE the gold...the bud vases...LOVED the Miners picture...so OLD California..loved seeing the photo...and as i read on...you answered my question about the dog...Sampson. what a beautiful dog...

" and the floor creaked like a chorus of frogs" ...leaves me speechless...

xx
Me and Teddy

lynne h said...

wow, julie, wow!!! these are wonderful - not to mention magical!!! oh my goodness, i am suffering from serious porcelain lust...

there truly is something about adding a little gold here and there. gold gouache was one of the first colors i bought. i hardly use it, but when you need it, you need it. it makes all the difference...

xoxo

Dreaming Woods said...

perfect creations!!! how i love that fox and deer cup and everything else.

jaz@octoberfarm said...

what a wonderful post. your pieces are so enchanting!

cabin fever said...

Hi Julie-
What a delightful post - as always!!!

Love all the gold history, love the new bud vases and Mr. Fox. I have a family of fox that live in my woods and play in my yard at 3 am. The pups are growing up fast!

Thanks for sharing.

Liz XO

cabin fever said...

Hi Julie-

What a delightful post - as always!

LOVE the gold history, the new bud vases, and Mr. Fox. We have a family of fox that live in our woods and play in our yard every night at 3am. They are beautiful, but make quite a screeching racket!

Thanks for sharing.

Liz XO

mamabeaks said...

the touch of gold is awesome..... I love seeing the old photo old your family. It is wonderful to have a piece of history like that.

The Feathered Nest said...

Oh Julie, your artwork is absolutely magical to me!!! I always love visiting here because I know I'm going to leave with a smile ~ the gold touches are beautiful!!! I hope you are doing wonderful, hugs and love, Dawn

sea-blue-sky & abstracts said...

What a feast this post offers, Julie. Love the beakers, love the gold and the vases and beautiful flowers. And the family history too, so interesting to hear your memories. x

Unknown said...

I am in LOVE with your charming painted pottery. And, the gold accents --- perfect.

Simply Shelley said...

Beautiful...such talent..blessings

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

Julie your pottery is just beautiful! Love the way you intertwined your use of gold paint with the gold rush and your hubby's family! The frog comment made me smile!

I haven't forgot about the brown bread, I've been so sick I can't stand myself! Today is the first day in a week that I've blogged! I'm just now starting to feel human!

Mary

Valerianna said...

My heart always opens when I come here.... and I am reminded of my childhood when my mother read Beatrix Potter to my sister and me. The gold is quite elegant, so beautiful - all.

I learned a lot about California and the gold rush when I read "Daughter of Fortune" by Isabel Allende. I was struck that I never came across any gold rush history at all in school. I didn't know anything, really. The book is many things, sometimes challenging, but ultimately redemptive. Lovely characters. If you haven't read it, you might find it powerful and full of gold rush lore...

Claire said...

Beautiful beakers Julie, the touch of gold give them that something extra special, love the designs.

Nice to have a peek at your work book too. It always interesting, seeing the steps behind the design.

Claire :}

Lori ann said...

oh my dear lord, julie, i don't know how it is that you out do yourself everytime, with everything you do.

the beaker is so heartbreakingly sweet, the little touch of gold makes it feel vintage. i just love it. love all the pieces, where you've used the gold, or not.

loved hearing the family history too, what a fabulous photo.

i love this post again julie,
thank you for sharing. (i seem to use the word love alot when i come here!)
xoxo lori

Kathryn Glover said...

Julie. I love the touches of gold in your cups. Just beautiful! And your drawings and diagrams are a piece of art themselves. You must have oodles of drawings. Do you ever go back through them and rework an old design? I've always wanted to learn how to use gold leaf. Klimpt! We used to go panning for rubies in the Smoky Mountains near Asheville when I was young. I still have my rocks in their raw state. I so love all of your work! (:

farmlady said...

There's more gold on those cups than I ever found in my gold pan. Your charming cups have just enough gold in the right places. What a perfect addition to them.
I love the old photo. It's cool to see folks from long ago that lived in a place that I know so well. Wish I had been raised up here.

Gloria Freshley Art and Design said...

As always...your work is enchanting! Thanks so much for creating it and sharing the beautiful images of it. Gloria

Country Cottage Chic said...

Just lovely & so whimsical.

Jayne

Librarian said...

What a good idea to add some extra sparkle to your already wonderful creations!
I like the family photo. The short, dark-haired lady stood behind the chairs with the two majestic old ladies: when I look at her face, it seems to me that, contrary to the others who wear quite a somber expression, she can barely contain herself smiling widely or even laughing out loud. She looks like someone who loved life and enjoyed it, which certainly was not easy for a woman in those days, with all the restrictions society put on them.

Anonymous said...

I was walking into blogland and game on your blog, what a beautiful pottery you make I love the gold ,the paintings on the pottery are lovely. You are very talented.
Marjolein

Parisbreakfasts said...

I LOVE yr sketches!!!
A look inside the creative mind...
I love the vase of flowers too...
I LOVE EVERYTHING you do!
and the story of course too.

sharon said...

Absolutley gorgeous! You capture "whistful" beautifully!

millefeuilles said...

Absolutely stunning work. The colour schemes are so delicate and yet bright. I love the butterfly cup in the first photograph but I think, if I had to chose, my favourite is the sweetpea one (I think they are sweetpeas?) in the second picture.

Well done you!

Laura Farrow said...

I love your work Julie. The gold additions make them even more precious.

Flutterby Patch said...

What a wonderful story Julie. Years ago I had an elderly aunt who shared her kitchen with chickens, took water from a hand pump and had only once travelled as far as 25 miles from home...those were the days! I'm sure your ancestors will be smiling when they see you are still using gold. Gorgeous creations as always. Eli.

Anonymous said...

These are gorgeous, Julie! I love the little touches of gold. I sometimes add a wisp of gold to papers for a similar look.

Also love the family photo and the memories you've shared. Sweet connections.

Wishing you a lovely one,
Zuzu

jone hallmark said...

Oh Julie!
The new vases and butterflies are perfect!

I am sitting in my kitchen and a friend (Julie Hesse) is visiting. She just bought 5 amazing pieces (of YOURS) from Jen at Earth Angels. I will write to you on email, but you have not seen a happier person than my friend!

Love to you and LOTS of creative juices flowing...
xo
Jone

Patricia Griffin Ceramics said...

Delightful!

Stickhorsecowgirls said...

What a treasure in that old photograph--my eye went immediately to Sampson. Sampson must have been very special!

These new pieces are so beautiful--just love them!

Pixie said...

So Beautiful Julie, as always.
The vases i love very much, all your work is so gentle and ambient.
Pixie x

Lynette Anderson said...

Absolutely love these new mugs x x will keep my eye out for one for me :)

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

I think adding that small touch of gold makes even your lovely pottery even lovelier. The pink butterfly is beautiful.

dulcy said...

Thanks, Julie, for sharing a bit of your family story. I love history, and the photo is just great. Also, that Samson was quiet beautiful. I love the cups, and the addition of gold. When I was doing water colors, I became quite enamored with adding bits of gold here and there. Also, your bud vases are just charming!
xo
dulcy

lilylovekin said...

Delicate and lovely your porcelain beakers are! With a light touch of gold dust. I love them. We drove through your town of Cambria on Monday, it is so sweet. I thought of you busy with your kiln making beautiful treasures.

A Brush with Color said...

So charming! I love your style!

Jody Battaglia said...

Hello you little Gold-Digger...Excuse the pun...but once again you struck gold...I love that you are always evolving. How fun to explore your art.

Have silly sparkle fun, Jody

RosesRadishesandRubbish said...

Hi Julie,

Well, I think everything you make is "golden" without exception but I LOVE these pieces so much. Thanks for sharing, especially your sketches and dreams with all of us. xo Amy

liz said...

I just adore your work, I feel a huge urge to visit you in America and buy a suitcase of your work xxx

Unknown said...

Oh Julie this post was so sweet the sweet history and how you meander the story into your art and the visual of the cups on the shelf so summer !!!I could smell the summer flowers in the air !!

April said...

Love the cups and vases!!!
My Grandmother and Grandfather were both from France. They met in the 1906 Earthquake in San Francisco. Tents were set up , after the quake, in Golden Gate Park. They met one another and married soon after! Then they started a business..The French Laundry, in San Francisco.

gallerydarrow said...

Gorgeous Julie, I think the gold looks just perfect on your work. I enjoyed walking down memory lane as well. What a wonderful photo.

Barbara said...

Yes the gold tips do add something.
Interesting family photo and especially blown up to full screen. Always intriguing.

Mozart's Girl said...

Julie, sweet friend...just catching up with posts & had to comment. I loved hearing the story of your logging/mining ancestors & seeing that wonderful photograph. What history there is all around and in each one of us! I adore your beautiful work...it's all gold, with or without the real thing! Love to you, rachel xoxo

Helen Philipps said...

What a wonderful post - I absolutely love your beautiful porcelain painted cups with the delicate illustrations and touches of gold - so delicious. And I was fascinated by the photo of the family ancestors from gold rush times, and the story of them - how nice that you met one of them when he was so old and you were so young - a living link with history.
Helen x

annamaria potamiti said...

These are beautiful Julie!! And what a family history- (and I love your ancestral dog- what a beauty!!
I think s/he deserves a portrait ,no?)
xx

Bluebirds and Butterflies said...

Hi Julie,
Went to your etsy acct. Do you have any items that you are going to be putting on etsy very soon? I love the bluebirds/flowers/butterfly cups---my blog is Bluebirds and Butterflies! How much do you sell your cups for? I would like to collect a few pieces of your pottery to use. I love it all! xoxo Kim

Vicki Boster said...

Fabulous - simply amazing - I adore the cups. Great - just great Julie - now I have something else to lust after!

Vicki

Pamela said...

oh the cups are so wonderful. Every time I visit here I get an itch that I need one of your cups or a little bowl or something.
I love it when I get to peek you in a pic AND I LOVED seeing your sketchbook. My sketchbooks always look a mess.

;;;sigh;;;;
still loving you.
"
:)
xo
pamma

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