by Louise Irvine World Penguin Day is April 25, which coincides with the annual northern migration of Adelie penguins. The cute, flightless birds have been in the news recently making people smile as they waddle through empty zoos. Like many, I have a soft spot for penguins. My interest started

The Hot Glass gallery at WMODA features the Flights of Fancy exhibit where we explore René Lalique’s passion for nature through his stunning designs of flora and fauna. Nature’s Miracles As urban migration increased in the late 19th century, designers turned to nature as their main source of inspiration. Stylized

One of the most iconic figures made for Royal Doulton’s rouge flambé glazes is the Smiling Buddha. Art Director, Charles J. Noke, modeled the Buddha during the First World War when he was experimenting with Chinese transmutation glazes. An advertisement for the figure from the December 1918 issue of Colour

We are being advised to use copious amounts of soap during the current crisis, so we thought it was a good time to highlight one of the most amusing statues in the WMODA collection. You Dirty Boy by Giovanni Focardi was purchased by Pears’ soap manufacturers and used extensively to

Majolica Mania is due to open at the Bard Graduate Center in New York on September 24 and travels to the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore in January of 2022. This magnificent exhibition and publication will create a new awareness and appreciation for 19th century majolica, which was wildly popular

Tide pools at the Florida seashore inspire ceramic artist Alyssa Ligmont to make functional stoneware embellished with shells and starfish. She carves, stamps and models her stoneware forms before applying multiple high-fired glazes to achieve rich surface decoration with an organic feel. Alyssa loves the versatility of working with clay,

As St. Patrick’s Day’s Day approaches, we are wondering why a bird which lives in the treetops of South American rainforests was used to promote an iconic Irish beer. Carlton ware began making Guinness advertising ceramics in the 1950s and Royal Doulton was commissioned to make Guinness toucans by Millennium

“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