Nymphenburg!

Oh man were we THRILLED to find this Nymphenburg figurine at our local antique mall! It fits our style perfectly - hunting with ferocious beasts, jaunty caps (kidding) and a little bit of floral detailing. We plan on magnifying some of these details using both analog and digital methods- so watch out for these bloodthirsty hounds. But first, we break.

snake cups

Our newest tumbler design. From our taxidermy how-to manual, this snake has a liberty or death look to it. We just sent a super nice batch of them to Spartan in Austin TX this week. The owner, Currie, also wrote great post about our work on her blog Arrow & Arrow. And we want to say thank you!!
(see below)

pug slug

Our pug slug - the final version (top) and the first prototype (bottom). This piece is inspired from a smaller version made in Germany two summers ago. Another way to play with the notion of grotesque and beauty - combining the ornate flower ball with a mutant type object. That meaty neck doubled up... totally strange.

lino block

The first step towards a series of prints that look SO good in my head. I am going to use some of the patterns from the tumbler series, and combine them with other animals and images that have started popping up around the studio. This will be one of the first (carefully) planned pieces using the letterpress I bought this summer... now just need to power through the carving.

Iconoclast

We are featured this month on Iconoclast, alongside some of our personal favorites like Charley Harper and Harmony Korine. Crazy! Our Illuminated Porcelain tumblers are a super limited edition: 5 copies of 6 designs. Never to be made again...

letterpress mess

So, yesterday I thought I would spend a few relaxing hours letterpressing a poster for the school ceramics sale. Seven and a half hours later, I printed over 75 legible posters - and basically destroyed the studio. Somehow in the process I managed to rope Mike in as well - and this is what we left behind...

hanging dead II

Hooray - the hanging dead squirrel (see here) is 3-d scanned and almost ready for printing. The tail is a little tricky, so we - and by we I mean Mike - might have to sculpt it by hand. But, after tackling the real dead squirrel, it shouldn't be an issue. We both have some great ideas in store for this guy...

Country Club

We were given some space at Country Club alongside the Aaron Morse exhibition, taking up a few walls with our shelved and hanging porcelain work. Christian Strike, let us borrow the Saarinen table on the right that he had refinished with bright orange automotive paint.
We hung our giant wolf chandelier above the table with the little Wolfie sconces on the back wall. The arrangement in this center space made for a fancy domestic showroom setting.
The Illuminated Manuscript style cups are intermingled with some sculptures throughout the space. These limited cups can also be found in detail with the iconoclast editions, just look for Future Retrieval. You will probably find more images on our other blogs. Katie & GMD

Installation (week)

Hilarious photo of Mike today installing our work at Country Club. Two days until the opening, and we are almost ready. Will post pictures of the final installation and space - can't wait.

King of Beasts

This Lion is no coward and a nice addition to our collection of grotesque animal faces. This was 3-D scanned from a tiny piece of antique chalkware. We will be sending this file upstairs to the rapid prototyping lab for maximum build ASAP.

License to Illuminate

Finally finished with our latest edition, cups with hand painted and lustered patterns inspired by the illuminated manuscripts of Medieval hunting scenes. Our animals were drawn from taxidermy lessons of the old school and some of our own dabbles. These beastly boys are ill.

Carnivorous Cluster

hooray! Our chandelier is almost ready for installation. Gold grills and globe lights make for lovely finishing touches - now the only thing left is the chain. What to choose?

FB's Lounge, Cincinnati

I guess we can tell you, because everybody knows about it now anyway. Our installation at FB, a snazzy lounge, in Cincinnati works like icing on cake. The boys at FB were working on some Alice in Wonderland styles, so we went for our grotesque porcelain critters mounted on baroque and leafy plaques. The loyal pug takes stage center guarded by rattlesnakes, while shrunken versions sit with the white rats in this antique case. Click images for a close up.

drink from this

How's this for a tall drink? A peek at a new graphic, inspired by this and a dogmatic sign on the way to Krogers. (our local cincy grocery chain) Why does it say fakes are bootleg - because you know they are.

FR Now showing in New York

Objective Affection is an exhibition concerned with the influence of objects in contemporary culture. We are a global community self defined by the possessions and considerations given to the objects we value. Through these objects we establish identity and express our beliefs and guiding ideologies. Check out BOFFO, and see Object Affection if you are in the area!

this is for real

This is from a real product. Rubber disks for jars - AMAZING. We are using it a new couple ways. Seriously.

figurine

We found this broken figurine at an antique mall in KY and have been tweaking it over the last week. First, I repainted their fancy clothes a darker shade of blue and covered all the gold, and then put the piece into the kiln to see what would happen. What happened is all the dirt fired off and the whole thing is nice and clean! We are now working on patterning the clothes and adding a background to complete the scene - a branch filled with tiny rats seems like it will do the trick. (sort of like the Pied Piper of Hamelin) Will keep you posted.

Installation and a preview through the looking glass

This week opens a new destination for the nation, right here in Cincinnati. We were invited to do our thing at a new club that is already turning talking heads. Porcelain dogs and snarling wolves on baroque and leafy plaques are linked together by wiggly scrolls and rattlesnakes. The finishing touch caps both ends with wolves that salivate rats . This is quite a sight, and wait until you see how the rest of this funky wonderland will turn out to be.

part two

Our new wolf chandelier - part two. This huge piece made it perfectly through the firing (although it actually is the third one - a little tricker than originally thought) and is now ready for leafing and lights. We switched it up a bit from the first one and added the two different styles of heads, which are working nicely. A couple more steps until the piece is complete and ready to hang, but so far we love it.
Mike had to take this photo fast because my arm was shaking...

hilarious

Fresh from the kiln - Mike is responsible for the one on the left - I did the right. Punk rock/outer space? (good band name) these two actually make for a nice pair. They are off to pretty crazy place, will share more later this week. We start installing at 1:00pm tomorrow - can't wait.

our second home

Our studio space - where we spend A LOT of time. It is an amazing space though, so I can't complain. And if I were to complain, it would be that I wish that window actually opened...

a little bit more

I want to tell you more - but I still can't. So, I will show you a little more of what we have been up to. We usually are not so cryptic - but then again, we have never done a project like this. In the next few weeks we can reveal the whole shabang - and it should be amazing!!

Glazing

Glazing heads to make more Wolf lights. I love watching the glaze fall out of the mouth - an event almost as good as their future illumination. Ha!
-no matter where you go, all ceramic studios look like this (buckets everywhere)

kiln is loaded

Just a shot of the kiln - fully loaded and firing as we speak (or as I type, whatever). Exciting...

top secret

We have a top secret project in the works - so we can't even tell you what goes on this lovely plaque. What can be said is that this is the centerpiece for the ideas we have been working on. Stay tuned for more information, location, and images. But not just yet.

round one

Business cards - round 1. This was our first (okay, second because the first was not so hot) go around at the letterpress. And it is crazy fast. Mike was pulling out the prints as I was putting in paper - I felt like we were walking a fine line between total chaos and complete control. The pile on the left represents about 2 minutes of printing. It eats one sheet of paper every 2 seconds - I have no idea how one person can keep up... Good thing our skills are growing at a tremendous rate.

Limited Illuminated cups!!!

We have been working on these new porcelain tumblers inspired by our taxidermy lessons/ experience's, as well as hunting scenes from illuminated manuscripts. They have been screen printed with our own drawings in underglaze, then enhanced with with overglaze enamels. These cups are sure to take the cake! Listen folks these are very special and limited so don't get too excited. "Amazing, I have never seen anything like it!"
For similar work click here.

illuminated - part two

So far so good. Pretty exciting actually. The pain in my hands from the death grip I had on it while painting all of a sudden seems worth it. (although at the moment, it feels better to keep my hand closed rather than open. ouch.)

This time it's for REAL

Good news for you. We received a grant - and you are up next. Scanning, printing, the works.
Guess you can't just hang dead there forever, collecting dust. Sorry.

illuminated

Studio shot. This rat is getting the works. We are working on a new line of pieces, based on historical patterns from illuminated manuscripts. I cannot wait to see everything together - this is only the first of many. A little painstaking, but totally worth it.

printing press

We have a WORKING letterpress! I cannot believe it. I have been wanting one for years, ever since I took a class my last semester of undergrad. It is a 10 x 12 Chandler and Price, made right here in the state of Ohio. I am ordering inks today - so look out. (although it might be a while before I post anything that I print)

bigger and better

Okay, bigger is not always better - but it just might be in this case. Mike and I are working on a hanging light using our favorite Wolfie head, and it is huge. (as far as the limitations of porcelain go) We will be adding lights, a couple more balls for the top and bottom, and some fancy finishing touches. Stayed tuned, we will continue to post our studio collaborations and processes from our new space in Cincinnati, Ohio. Exciting!