Wishing Everyone a Very Merry Christmas from Michael W. Moses!

Blue Lotus Flower Ceramic Art Pottery Bowl by Michael W. Moses Now on Etsy!

I call this piece of ceramic art pottery the "Blue Lotus Flower Bowl"  I have had it on my counter at South Coast Antiques in Ocean Springs for awhile now holding some of my business cards and featuring some of the last Hibiscus flowers of the season.

When I first put this piece out in the shop I had a woman say to me that one of her roses would look great displayed in the small vase portion of this piece. I jokingly said to her, "Oh, no Mame, This is a blue lotus flower bowl. Only a Blue lotus flower can be displayed in this piece". She looked at me and replied," Now where on Earth is one supposed to find a blue lotus flower at"!  I responded to her, that, that was the whole point of the piece!

Well, my search for a blue lotus flower for it has come to no avail and I have had to settle for less exotic blossoms.  I have some images of this piece below and please take note that the business cards displayed are merely for looks, they are from the long bygone era when everyone had a pager.

Blue Lotus Flower Ceramic Art Pottery Bowl by Michael W. Moses

Blue Lotus Flower Ceramic Art Pottery Bowl

Back View of Blue Lotus Flower Ceramic Art Pottery Bowl

Perfect for Use as a Business Card Holder!

Blue Lotus Flower Ceramic Art Pottery Bowl at South Coast Antiques & Gallery

Finished Orange Captive Bulb Vase by Michael W. Moses at South Coast Antiques in Ocean Springs

Orange Captive Bulb Vase in Heinrich & Co Cup 

This is my latest piece of ceramic art pottery. I call this one "Orange Captive Bulb Vase"  I showed what it looked like when it was just painted, before being glazed and fired in my Friday, November 18, 2011 post.
I was very pleased at how this little fellow looked when it came out of  the kiln. The colors are absolutely vibrant! It just sets and glows in its own garish brightness.
When I was photographing this piece which I do it in our shop, South Coast Antiques, I had a customer come in and they were watching me doing the photography. She says to me."Why is that vase chained to a cup"?  I very quickly responded, "Because it is so wild that it would escape if it were not chained to the cup"! She looked at me and says, "Oh, well that makes sense". It really makes me wonder when people say things like that to me what they are actually thinking.

Orange Captive Bulb Vase Out of It's Cup

 This bulb is chained to a really nice, absolutely paper thin porcelain tea cup. The cup has a great intricate hand painted Greek key design going around the lip and is an antique that was made by Heinrich & Co of  Selb, Bavaria in the early 1900's.

Orange Captive Bulb Vase From Top

Orange Captive Bulb Vase Before Being Chained to Cup

My Miniature Adenium Obesum and It's Alien Ruins Planter

Today's post is about a plant that I got from a garden friend of mine that lives in Hurley, MS. It is a miniature Adenium Obesum. I got this plant about 2 years back and was so thrilled that I immediately came back home and jumped on my computer to look it up online. I was not able to find any real information about it at all. I found no images and only a few mentions. There were a couple of places online where people were saying that they had seeds for sale, but not a single plant. I have found out that even if this miniature form is not rare, it is still extremely uncommon. There are a couple of images of miniature Adenium Obesum online now. They show them having small but not actually miniature flowers. I hope that when and if mine ever blooms that it will have miniature flowers. Now that would be nice now wouldn't it.

I decided that being that this was a special little plant that I would create a one of a kind ceramic art pottery pot for it. Here is what it looks like now that it has had most of the summer to acclimate to it's new pot and a couple of other size appropriate plants. The small Adenium Obesum sticking up in the back is a tip that broke off of one of my full size plants that I am trying to get to root.  I have been enthralled by images of giant Olmec stone heads among ruins and giant Angkor Wat heads with trees growing out of them since I was a small child and so a planter like this would only be natural for me to create. I call this my "Alien Ruins Planter". Of course not having access to a kiln that will fire a forty foot tall one I settled on one that is about six inches tall instead, but I really love miniatures anyways.

My "Alien Ruins Planter" may currently beee viewed at South Coast Antiques & Gallery in Ocean Springs, MS.

Dotted Blue Bulb Vase by Michael W. Moses SOLD today at South Coast Antiques & Gallery

This afternoon we sold one of my bulb vases. This one is called the "Dotted Blue Bulb Vase". It was purchased by a man and woman from Biloxi that were getting it for a Christmas gift for their daughter in California. This little bulb vase has so much lively movement that it just seems as if it will run away at any moment, but it's created to be stable and support one long thin blossom with maybe a small leaf or two on it. Imagine a brightly colored tulip, a long stemmed spider lilly, or even a single orchid sprouting from it's bulbous body. But in my opinion a flower is not even necessary to make this work of art a stand out piece in any room.

The Finished Dotted Blue Bulb Vase

The Greenware Stage

Happy Thanksgiving Wishes to All!

Just a quick holiday card for everyone!

Getting Ready for Black Friday at South Coast Antiques & Gallery

Some people are avoiding the Black Friday  crowds by starting early this year at South Coast Antiques & Gallery. Today I sold three pieces of my pottery. I had two people that have on a number of occasions purchased pieces of my art pottery come to the shop and spend a bit of time visiting and deciding which works that they wanted. When the dust finally settled they had made in my opinion three really excellent choices. The Golden Triangle Bowl Alien Artifact, The Unfolding (Alien Inscription Bowl), and the Spider Web Matrix, Tree Frog Vase. After which I went out and had a great Red Fish dinner at a local restaurant. Over all a very nice day I must say.

Happy Patron Holding her latest Acquisition!

For more information on the above pictured piece The Unfolding (Alien Inscription Bowl) check out my posts
Sunday, April 3, 2011 and Saturday, April 23, 2011.

The Unfolding (Alien Inscription Bowl)by Michael W. Moses

Spider Web Matrix, Tree Frog Vase by Michael W. Moses

The Golden Triangle Bowl Alien Artifact by Michael W. Moses

The Golden Triangle Bowl Alien Artifact Interior by Michael W. Moses

Some Ceramic Art Pottery Works in Progress and a New Bowl by Michael W. Moses

It's been awhile since I have done a post. I have been busy with the shop and have had a number of items that I have been researching for the shop. I am going to post a few images of some of the ceramic art pottery pieces that are being fired now. I  have been working on some new ideas that involve large spikes sticking out all over. I find spikes to be way cool and loads of fun to make. The spikes are a bit of a chore to paint, but I really love the over all effect that they can create. I did the "Green Hunger" Pod vase a while back and have had spikes on my mind ever since. The painted pieces in the images below will be glazed and refired. Once they have been glazed and refired the colors on these pieces will be bold and bright and shiny.

A Bulb Vase With Spines by Michael W. Moses

A Standing Bulb Vase by Michael W. Moses

A Couple of Un-Fired Greenware Works in Progress

Here is a recently finished bowl. I call this one an "Alien Logo Bowl". This bowl is bright yellow on the exterior and has a stamp work design with bright blue dots. The interior has a distressed, pale cream ground with a lively ancient design from a faraway unknown world! I love doing these paper thin bowls, when tapped they have a delightful bell like ring.

Alien Logo Bowl by Michael W. Moses

Interior of Alien Logo Bowl by Michael W. Moses

Happy Veterans Day To all that have served!

A Few Exhibitors from the 2011 Peter Anderson Arts Festival in Ocean Springs, MS

Last Saturday and Sunday was the 2011 Peter Anderson Arts Festival here in Ocean Springs. I went around and was moderately impressed with some of the things I saw.

I  talked with one of my favorite potters from Mobile AL, Charles Smith. I have admired his work for many years now and It is always a pleasure to converse with him and see his great pottery.

 I really liked the pieces that were being exhibited by Steve Burrow of Sea Oat Studio in Gulf Shores, AL. His works were richly embellished with applied detail and lively slip trailing. His pottery covers the gambit from subdued all the way to baroque intensity.

Colette Martin Waite of Daphne, AL, was also exhibiting and I have to say that I found her canvas with the Hydrangea's and the watermelon to be absolutely delightful. It has that special quality that just stands out and shines. Her work is always traditional but still has a fresh quality that many artists works do not possess.

Craig McMillin  of Studio McMillin, had some very fine pottery works also. I was extremely impressed by his mammoth bowl with it's snowflake like crystalline glaze in it's center.

I also had a chance to chat with Mary Kay Samouce of ADORN by Samouce, who popped into South Coast Antiques & Gallery for a bit. I so enjoy her rethinking of traditional jewelry design by refashioning vintage and antique pieces into bold and elaborate modern pieces that are way more art than craft.

A Happy Halloween to All From Michael W. Moses!

Jack-o'-lanterns in the front window of South Coast Antiques & Gallery

What do you think of my Halloween photograph of the pumpkins in the window of the shop?

Oh, I almost forgot!!! A Happy and Safe Halloween to All From South Coast Antiques and Michael W. Moses!

"Napoleon's Bee Bowl" and "Where the Red Tendril Grows Bowl" by Michael W. Moses

Here are two of my latest works of ceramic art pottery.

The first piece is a thin walled bowl, that I call "Napoleon's Bee Bowl".  It is a small bowl that has a small bee, which was the Emblem of  Napoleon Bonaparte.  

The link is to a great blog post about the Napoleonic Bee with a few great examples, including one that is really special!

The exterior of the bowl is done in lively tidal pool colors and the interior is in tones of  royal purple.  All pulled together with a neat little sunshine yellow and bright turquoise blue bee.

 

 My second new bowl  is called "Where the Red Tendril Grows Bowl".  It has a pink exterior with baby blue and red detailing and a rich interior that is done up in squash bloom yellows with blue designs and one small bright red, probing tendril coming out of the side of the bowl.  This one of a kind, hand crafted, work of ceramic art will radiate a feeling of unbridled exuberance to any location  it may be placed!

Both pieces of art pottery are currently available and may be viewed at South Coast Antiques & Gallery in Ocean Springs, MS.

New Dragon Pod Vase by Michael W. Moses and New Ceramic Art work by Tyler Gibson

My last post featured a freshly painted Dragon Pod Vase and here it is out of the kiln and ready for viewing at South Coast Antiques & Gallery. I am really pleased with the outcome of this vase. The Yellow is very intense and the red is just a gleaming candy apple red! The inside is Kermit the frog green with blue dots. This vase is loosely based on the Pitaya fruit, also known as the Dragon fruit.

 

Yellow Red Dragon Pod Vase by Michael W. Moses

Top View of Yellow Red Dragon Pod Vase by Michael W. Moses

 

Now here we have a new piece by Tyler Gibson. This ceramic art pottery work is done in Earthen tones and was specifically painted to give it a bottom of the sea feel and look. The white swirl seems to give this piece a real sense of movement.  In my opinion movement is a real plus for a piece of pottery. 

New Art Pottery by Tyler Gibson

A New Plate and a Freshly Painted Dragon Pod Vase by Michael W. Moses

Here is my newest piece of ceramic art pottery  I call it "Yellow Scholars Plate".  

This work is a vaguely oriental looking piece that I have embellished with three applied sculptured alien seeds.

This plate is currently available and may be viewed at South Coast Antiques & Gallery in Ocean Springs, MS

This is a dragon fruit pod vase that I have recently finished painting. I will post more images of it once it is fired.

The Flasher Ceramic Art Pottery by Michael W. Moses. The Ocean is Dead by Mark E. Moses

We sold the Flasher at South Coast Antiques & Gallery, in Ocean Springs, MS, a while back. I ran across this small film clip yesterday that I did  a couple of months prior to the sale of the Flasher We added a piece of highly atmospheric music titled "The Ocean is Dead", that was written, performed and recorded by my musically gifted brother Mark E. Moses. His piece of music seemed very appropriate for this clip and we thought it evoked the mood of my ceramic art pottery piece very well. 

The Flasher was a hand modeled ceramic lamp that was made to resemble an alien sea anemone. The ceramic art pottery base holds a small light bulb that blinks off and on randomly. I added a multitude of beads that seem to wave gently in the warm ocean waters. The bead covered wires were a bit time consuming, but I think that the over all effect was well worth the time it took to make. We hope that you will enjoy this video of the Flasher!.

A Couple of Sales From the Weekend of Crusin the Coast 2011 at South Coast Antiques & Gallery

"The Peeper".

by Michael W. Moses

I just did not get a chance to take many photos of the great classic cars that were here in Ocean Springs last weekend for Crusin the Coast 2011. We had a vast sea of people pass through South Coast Antiques & Gallery. We also had some good sales. I sold one of my signature pieces, "The Peeper". It was one of my most popular works and I am so surprised that it took so long to sell. It was purchased by a young couple from Louisiana . They came into the shop on Friday and looked at my pottery. They stated (as a few other people in the past have) that if they won a jackpot at the casinos in Biloxi They would come back and buy a piece. They came back on Saturday and bought the peeper. They had won at the roulette wheel! The peeper was one of those really whimsical works, that everyone really seemed to like. My business partner, William Murphy made a YouTube video of "The Peeper". I hate to admit it but this is one that I am going to miss.



I also sold one of my watercolors on paper. This was one that I did way back in 1988. It is hard to imagine, but this is now a vintage work of art. This image was titled. "The Iris Were in Bloom". It is a very sensual vision of what a hillside covered my hundreds of iris blooms smells like.  I spent many years doing almost nothing but paintings on either paper or canvas and was fairly pleased. but now I have devoted myself to ceramic art pottery over the last five years and have had great satisfaction doing so. I will not say that I will never do another painting, but I think I will more than likely be doing pottery for as long as I am able. In my opinion there is absolutely nothing more wonderful for me than when I gaze upon a new piece of my pottery in my shop.

"The Iris Were in Bloom" by Michael W. Moses

The Green Hunger Ceramic Art Pottery Vase by Michael W. Moses

I did  a post on Wednesday, August 31, 2011 showing a new piece of ceramic art pottery, that I had just fired.

Here is what it looked like when it was painted.

"The Green Hunger" After Being Painted.

 

"The Green Hunger" After Being Painted. View Form the Top

Now it has been fired and is ready for your viewing pleasure! 
I have titled  it "The Green Hunger".

"The Green Hunger" After Firing

"The Green Hunger" After Firing. View From Top

 This is a piece that I really like. It has movement and color. One can almost see it moving as one looks at it and the color just draws ones eyes to it. This new piece of ceramic art pottery may be viewed at South Coast Antiques & Gallery in Ocean Springs, MS.