By Louise Irvine I have been researching the work of Paul Stankard for our upcoming exhibition in November and was intrigued by these two experimental paperweight designs featuring face masks on a mossy ground, which were acquired recently by Arthur Wiener. They seemed appropriate for our Halloween issue, so I

The exhibition opening of The Fantasy Art of Josephine Wall was a huge success during our Celebration of Ceramic Art weekend, so much so that Dr. Pat Sager Lane will be returning for our Sensational Saturday program on October 12. In the run-up to Halloween, she will focus on the

Insects might seem unusual subject matter for the fired arts, but many porcelain and glass artists have found inspiration in spiders, snails, and other creepy crawlies. Spiders are particularly associated with Halloween so beware of this Highlights if you suffer from arachnophobia! Spiders have become a symbol of Halloween as

By Louise Irvine Last weekend I luxuriated in the new Downton Abbey movie and watched the aristocratic Crawley family prepare for a royal visit by King George V and Queen Mary. I was dazzled by all the Art Deco dresses and the elegant social rituals of the English landed gentry,

By Louise Irvine Bees have been declared the most important living beings on this planet by wildlife experts and scientists, who have added them to the endangered species list. Albert Einstein once predicted that if the bees disappear, humans would have four years to live. See how they have inspired

By Louise Irvine This monumental Pangolin vase is the latest Ardmore piece to join the Wiener collection. Pangolins are believed to be the world’s most illegally trafficked wild mammals. In the last few years, Fée Halsted, the founder and creative director of Ardmore Ceramic Art, has supported the cause of

Our Birdwatching at WMODA blogs continue with a closer look at the Royal Crown Derby paperweights collection, which includes an aviary of bird designs in glistening Imari patterns. Dr. Gwendolen Reasoner will be highlighting some rare birds and other animals during our Celebration of Ceramic Art on Friday, September 20. Royal Crown Derby

Our new carousel horse was acquired for WMODA thanks to Dr. Pat Sager Lane who commissioned the galloper 20 years ago. Carousel horses have been an attraction at fairgrounds in Britain and Europe since the late 18th century, developing from the jousting games of medieval times.The name is derived from

Our Carnival & Cabaret exhibit celebrates the art of having fun. This month we are looking back at how ceramic artists have portrayed amusement fairs of the past. Romany gypsies, peddlers, and other travelers were romanticized in the figure collections of Charles Vyse and Royal Doulton during the 1920s. William Henry