“Black is sterling and will last forever” said Josiah Wedgwood of his new black basalt body. The first major exhibition devoted to the subject has opened recently at the Mint Museum in Charlotte and has inspired us to look more closely at the black basalt collection at WMODA. Josiah Wedgwood

During Women’s History Month, Louise Irvine is celebrating the Centennial of women’s right to vote and highlighting their achievements as designers and muses in the fired arts during the roaring twenties. Votes for Women The women’s rights movement began nearly a century before the vote was finally granted. There were

Since ancient times, orchids have been valued for their beauty and beneficial effects. The Greeks and Romans cultivated orchids for medicinal purposes, including varieties for aphrodisiacs. In South America, orchids were grown for their perfume and culinary uses. However, orchid mania really took root in 19th century Britain where vast

The forces of nature create glass. The essential ingredients of sand, soda ash, and lime are melted under intense fire with temperatures of 2400 degrees Fahrenheit. Glass can be formed when lightning hits sand and the resulting forms are known as fulgurites. Sea glass is formed over many years when

Rob Stern’s iconic Windstars have attracted a lot of attention in our Art on Fire exhibit. Now he has installed a constellation of his stars at WMODA. Rob Stern’s studio is in Wynwood, Miami and he has exhibited his work internationally during his 30-year career as a glass blower. He

This year, the world is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven, the creative genius whose music continues to inspire and enrich our lives. The impressive portrait bust by Richard Garbe for Royal Doulton also inspires visitors at WMODA. Richard Garbe’s bust of Beethoven was made

During Black History month, we are discovering how Carnival is celebrated in the Caribbean and South America. The Rio Carnival begins on February 18 and the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival on February 24 & 25. Rio Carnival The Rio Carnival is the largest celebration in the world with over two

“A leopard never changes its spots” according to the Bible saying about the challenges that humans face in changing their innate natures. It is particularly relevant in the light of leopard conservation as the animal is now endangered in Africa. The expression also shows how important leopards were in ancient

The latest addition to the Carnival & Cabaret exhibition, thanks to Caroline d’Antonio, is a stunning Goldscheider figure of Dolores Del Rio from the 1927 silent movie The Loves of Carmen. Inspired by Merimee’s novella and Bizet’s famous opera, Carmen is a wild Spanish gypsy, unscrupulous in matters of the

In February we are celebrating universal love and kindness at WMODA. Romantics everywhere celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14 with heartfelt gifts. February is also American Heart Month when we are encouraged to live heart-healthy lives. Heartfelt In American Heart Month we raise awareness of heart disease and how to