Pachyderms in Peril
By Louise Irvine Elephants have been our focus recently as we prepare for our upcoming WMODA exhibition and the arrival of the Great Elephant Migration in Miami Beach. However, we must not forget the other pachyderm in peril, the magnificent rhinoceros. It is estimated that poachers kill one rhino every
Chihuly’s Magic Carpets
By Louise Irvine Dale Chihuly’s brilliant glass art has been reimagined as magic carpets thanks to a successful partnership between his glassblowing studio in Seattle and The Rug Company’s weavers in Kathmandu, Nepal. He has created four more magical designs for his Masterpieces Collection, which was launched in 2020. WMODA
Cornucopia in Ceramics
By Louise Irvine The cornucopia, also known as the horn of plenty, is a symbol of abundance and prosperity which originated in Greek mythology. The cornucopia became popular in European harvest festivals and is now associated with the Thanksgiving holiday. Enjoy this cornucopia trivia with your friends and family around
Creepy Mugs
By Louise Irvine The ghoulish faces of jack-o’-lanterns are a familiar sight at Halloween. They were inspired by an Irish myth about Stingy Jack, who tricked the devil and was denied entrance to heaven and hell. Grotesque faces were also a specialty of the eccentric Martin Brothers, who sought inspiration
The Chihuly Room
By Louise Irvine The new Hot Glass Gallery at WMODA is enhanced by Chihuly’s spectacular Persian Wall, formerly at Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio Restaurant in San Francisco. The glass rondels look like giant wallflowers on a garden trellis, reflecting Chihuly’s love of flowers and nature. Arthur Wiener acquired the Persian Wall
Pangolin Pair
By Louise Irvine Ardmore’s Pangolin Park fabric pattern has proved to be one of the most popular in the Thanda Design collection. The endangered pangolin has appeared on a limited-edition sofa, pillows, tablecloths, and fabric by the yard. Now, a pair of pangolins star on tea towels, which have recently
Flower & Flame
The stunning new Flower & Flame documentary paints an intimate portrait of master flameworker Paul Stankard, exploring his work, his wit and his wisdom. The executive producer of the new film is the paperweight artist David Graeber who studied and worked with Paul for 20 years. You can hear him talk about
Marvelous Moorcroft
By Louise Irvine The most prestigious pottery ever made by the Moorcroft studio in Stoke-on-Trent can be seen at WMODA. In the early 1900s, William Moorcroft made some very large pieces for practical purposes, such as umbrella stands. In recent times, the modern Moorcroft studio has created a succession of
Bees for Elephants
By Louise Irvine September 22nd is National Elephant Appreciation Day, and an opportunity to highlight the ongoing plight of this popular pachyderm. Human and wildlife confrontations due to habitat loss can result in more elephant deaths than ivory poaching, so it was fascinating to learn about an initiative to leverage
The Oracle
By Louise Irvine With Halloween approaching, it is a good time to learn more about Mark Marshall’s bizarre portrayal of The Oracle, featured in the 1889 Humorous & Grotesque Art Exhibition introduced in the last newsletter. The strange Doulton stoneware piece stands 24 inches tall and was sold two years ago