My mother-in-law is a painter and we have some of her beautiful watercolor paintings around our house. She painted a lot of flowers, but most of her work was very abstract. Before I started hand-painting our dishes, I would look at her work and wonder if I could translate some of that beauty onto our pottery. In the beginning, I would try to draw a perfect flower, but soon I realized that perfection wasn't as interesting as different shapes and designs. Instead, I started drawing flowers, not worrying whether or not they were perfect, and then complement them with abstract shapes that I would later paint in all different colors. That is how the latest Jean Elton designs were born. I use water color glazes to achieve the bright and varied colors that I saw in my mother-in-law's paintings. And then I just draw and see where the shapes and colors take me.
"We Love Our Dishes!"
Steven Bass recently married the love of his life, and on their registry was a full set of Jean Elton dishes. Upon receiving place-settings from various friends and family members, Steven wrote to Jean Elton with his thanks.
Our Jean Elton dishes were exactly what we wanted. They came out looking even better than they did in the pictures we saw. They are so unique and durable that they double as our everyday dishes and special occasion dishes. We really do love them.
So if you are interested in some Jean Elton dishes for your upcoming special occasions, please visit our store and place your order today!
New Art: Water Color Designs
New from Jean Elton Studio, artist Lois Barker uses "water color" type glazes to paint these bowls by hand. All designs are completely unique, and yet match perfectly with each other. Each bowl or plate takes several hours to complete, and that's just the painting! These designs are available in all sizes of plates, bowls, and even lamps.
Behind the Scenes: Jean Elton Studio
Who would have ever thought that this sleepy, little cape in southern Fairfield County, Connecticut, masked the highly productive Studio that is Jean Elton?
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As you can see, there is a lot going on in this studio. So keep checking back on this blog for more looks behind the scenes, as well as explanations of the different materials used, methods of creating, and machinery, such as kilns and pug mills.
Pottery Party at Jean Elton Studio!
Occassionally, Jean Elton Studio will host private parties, as they did this past Saturday. There were several families and a good time was had by all!One little girl, Natalie, wrote, "I had so much fun! And I think your vases and other peices are beautiful! And thank you for inviting me back! I look forward to it!"Her sister, Julia, was equally enthusiastic, "Thank you so much for one of the best days of my summer! I had so much fun and learned in the process!"Their dad was actually surprised by the fun! He said, "I had thought I would watch and take photos but really got drawn in! It was a ton of fun!"Another family wrote, "Thank you so much for the fabulous 'Jean Elton' extravaganza!... I enjoyed coming into contact with clay again, and Nancy is now impassioned as well!"A day at Jean Elton Studio is a day to be remembered and can be enjoyed by both young and old. Keep checking back on this blog for any future events!
Slab Pots, Coil Pots, and Pinch Pots
A tutorial from the artists at Jean Elton Studio and Gallery, LLC on how to make slab pots, coil pots, and pinch pots. Enjoy!
Profile: Lois Barker
Lois Barker is a founder and Managing Director of Jean Elton Studio & Gallery, LLC. A mostly self-taught artist that has been working with clay for the past 30 years. Ms. Barker studied ceramics briefly at the University of Hartford, CT."I enjoy making new designs of tableware and decorating them by hand. I use the dishes in my own home for color, variety and the basis of table decorations that are just fun. I also like working in slabs so that I can press simple but tasteful designs into my work."I make every single piece we sell in Fairfield County, Connecticut. We use time-honored forms and techniques to achieve our widely-admired beauty and functionality, using my own designs entirely--we do not have a factory in China! Our products are stoneware: this means they are more durable, safe and creative than what one sees in the "big box" stores. Although we're proud of our products here and feel that they're better quality than the imports, please don't buy our products for these reasons alone! Buy our products because you love the way they look and feel. That's why we love them!"