My Big Five Safaris
By Louise Irvine There is nothing more exhilarating than watching animals in the wild, particularly the Big Five in the African bush. I have been privileged to go on safari several times during my visits to South Africa and these memorable experiences have inspired the Ardmore exhibitions at WMODA, including A Safari for the Soul and the Big Five Safari.
Who’s Who – Italianissimo
Italian Murano glass is in the spotlight this month with the opening of the Animalia selling exhibition presented by Sergio Gnesin. We are also highlighting the work of Diane and Mauro Gennaretti, the founders of Italianissimo, who specialize in wearable glass art from Murano. See their spectacular collection in the
A Potted History of Jardinières
By Louise Irvine Victorian ladies used flowers as a means of covert communication and a Language of Flowers bloomed alongside a growing interest in botany among women. Flower gardening was considered appropriate for feminine sensibilities and women laid out flower gardens or tended potted plants in their parlors. 19th-century potteries
Clarice Cliff – A Colorful Life
By Louise Irvine The life of Clarice Cliff, the celebrated Art Deco ceramic designer, is being brought to the big screen by Phoebe Dynevor, who shot to fame in the Netflix smash hit, Bridgerton. The Colour Room is described as “the journey of a determined, working-class woman as she breaks
Tea with a Twist
By Louise Irvine Whimsical teapots in the form of animals have been entertaining us at teatime for centuries and the Ardmore artists continue to make unique designs today in South Africa. Their Big Five teapot is a highlight of our new Safari scavenger hunt. Trophies of a lion, leopard, elephant,
Strut into WMODA
By Louise Irvine Cinderella’s glass slippers have been upstaged at WMODA by Stern’s Stilettos in glass. The Miami glass artist was inspired by his wife’s shoe collection, which includes hundreds of pairs by designers such as Manola Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, and Alexander McQueen. Strut into WMODA to see Stern’s Stilettos, Rob
The Mannequin Project
By Louise Irvine Mannequins have been a feature of WMODA exhibitions since A Flair for Fashion in 2014 when the museum began celebrating fashion and the Fired Arts. Initially, mannequins were just vehicles for displaying the creations of the designers. Now they have become works of art thanks to an
Who’s Who at WMODA – Donors & Supporters
By Louise Irvine WMODA exists because of the generosity of Arthur Wiener who is donating his vast collection of fired arts to our 501c3 not-for-profit museum and sustaining us during these challenging times. We are also very grateful to many other museum champions for making WMODA the new home for
Big Five Safari
By Louise Irvine Our latest scavenger hunt around the museum is a Big Five Safari. In Africa, the “Big Five” game animals are the lion, the leopard, the elephant, the rhinoceros, and the African buffalo. Originally, the name was used by big-game hunters and refers to the five most difficult
Teeny Weeny Glass Bikini
By Louise Irvine The chart-topping song about a yellow polka dot bikini is playing at WMODA as we prepare for an upcoming fashion event on the schedule for December 2021. Chelsea Rousso will be presenting a new collection of glass bikini tops, which promises to be even more sensational than