Michael W Moses on Don Herron's Blog, "Down the Mean Streets"

A friend of mine asked me to photograph a tableau of H. P. Lovecraft associated books with some Cthulhu figures from his collection.  We set up the photo shoot and added in some additional props to fill the image out.  In this case we used a ceramic art pottery staff piece and a Cthulhu, hand painted Delft inspired ceramic box. that I had previously made and featured on this blog.

I was very impressed when one of the digital photos I made was featured on Don Herron's blog, "Down the Mean Streets" on 13 November 2015.  Viewing my image on Mr. Herron's blog got me thinking of not just pottery, but the task of making images of my pottery.  I process almost all of my images using an older version of Photoshop and a few plugins.  Over the years, I have worked a few tricks on my own with image manipulation.

I found myself grabbing together a few interesting props and setting up my lights and the next thing I knew a hundred or so images later I ended up with an image that I liked.  Below are a few of the variations that I came up with in just a couple of hours of playing around with the image.  I call this still life "The Arcane Collector's Cabinet".

The vase is hand-painted of my own design and I found it was ambiguous enough to jump genres from cryptozoological, over to Film Noir, and even to Weird Fiction of the 20s and 30s.  Sometimes being a little vague works best.  Enjoy the variations of mood of these photos taken from a single frame and digitally reworked.

I would like to thank my friend Tex for submitting the image to Don Herron's blog, "Down the Mean Streets" and I would also like to thank Mr. Herron for featuring my image on his blog and linking to my pottery site!

Michael W. Moses Ceramic Art Pottery Now Available at Persnickety in Madison,Mississippi

 Every jewel needs a setting and a collection of jewelry needs a jewel case.  "Persnickety" of Madison is one of those jewel cases.  Set in the small jewel-like city of Madison, Mississippi, the shop named Persnickety takes small things seriously.

That being said, I am happy to say that "Persnickety" is a proud purveyor of Michael W. Moses ceramic art pottery.  I have been searching for just the right place for my pottery and I was very pleased to have "Persnickety" take a hand-picked group of 45 pieces of my pottery.  We went up to Jackson yesterday, 26 June to make the installation and found the owner of "Persnickety", Ben Rogers and his staff to be helpful and knowledgeable.  All went swiftly and the installation was complete in just a couple of hours.

 Here are some photos of the showcase my pottery will reside.  You will note the juxtaposition and contrast is startling.  The placement in an antique style display case which can be seen stage right, just as you enter the door, makes for maximum impact to the eye.  The bright flash of colors and the non-traditional shapes pulls the eye immediately.

 "Persnickety" is no stranger to fine items and their inventory is diverse and well placed.   Discriminating buyers can choose items that have been carefully selected to tickle the fancy of the upscale buyer.  Anybody can have a store, but not all can match the painstaking research and selection available at "Persnickety".

 I’d like to thank The owner Ben Rogers, his Family and fine staff for making this an easy and enjoyable experience.  I hope that people in the Madison and Jackson area will see my pottery there at "Persnickety" and feel like for a brief moment, they are on the Gulf Coast.

Neo Victorian Hand Sculpted Belle Epoque Captive Bulb Vase by Michael W. Moses

 Today I am featuring a brand new work of ceramic art pottery that I call, the "Belle Epoque Captive Bulb Vase"  This is a piece that I can describe as being Neo Victorian.  This pieces is completely modern in manufacture and coloring, but has all of the exuberant qualities that also make it a high Victorian design. This type of work is so reminiscent of the lavish over the top creations that were being produced during the period that the French refer to as the Belle Epoque Era (1871-1914).

 

 This one of a kind hand modeled work of ceramic art pottery comprises 4 distinct pieces that I have assembled together into one bold artistic statement. I started out with a really great circa 1910 hand etched glass sugar bowl. I then made a small root system shaped bowl that fits into the bottom of the sugar bowl, Then hand sculpted a bulb vase to fit into the sugar bowl, over top of the small root shaped bowl to create a small covered box like area. I then perched a lively little alien creature upon the side of the bulb vase. Once it had been fired, I meticulously painted all the details, glazed, then refired.  I added a vintage silver tone costume jewelry quality chain and two vintage red aurora borealis rhinestones for the happy little creatures eyes.

The Belle Epoque Captive Bulb Vase is basically a hand sculpted bulb vase that one can use for flowers and that has a small place where one can hide a ring, a few gold coins, or a small precious note. That is attached to a beautiful antique sugar bowl with a chain.

Just to let you know, if you do not know, The chain is added to keep the bulb vase with its sugar bowl home.  These bulb vases can get a little on the wild side sometimes and one will need to keep it chained so that it does not escape into the wild.

An image of what it looked like just after I had pained it and just before it was glazed.




 This work is available

Crystal Anchorite Vase by Michael W. Moses and Other Ceramic Art Pottery Incorporating Found Objects of Virtue

Crystal Anchorite Vase

I had a vintage cut crystal paperweight laying around for many years.  I just loved the deeply crenelated bulbous shape of this lead crystal paperweight but it seemed like it was just missing something.  I got looking at it one day and I envisioned it as a mixed media ceramic art pottery sculpture and it came to be called the "Crystal Anchorite Vase". 

Crystal Anchorite Vase

It now looks to be an exotic alien life form.  It's bright orange tendrils virtually writhe with movement.  This piece seems to be anxiously waiting for that one perfect addition to be added to the small vase opening at the top.  A magic wand? A beaded rod?  An outrageous feather?  A  single rare blossom ? Or just maybe just left as it is. This will be your decision.

I have on a number of occasions used found objects, as they can be called, in connection with my hand sculpted ceramic art pottery.  I have used everything from jewel studded earrings to slightly damaged antique frosted glass toothpick holders.  I always try to use items that are going to last and not be overly fragile.  But items of beauty and having just a special something, an indefinable thing that makes it worth incorporating into my work. 

I like items that may have a bit of history or damage that in some cases will actually add to what I am trying to get across with a particular work of my ceramic art pottery. There are pieces that I look at and I will immediately see the finished work that will come from it and there are items that I look at and look at and over a long period of time I will see what they shall become.

Either way, I only use pieces that are special in my vision of how my pieces should and ultimately will be.  Also one of my big things is that I want to use some very crazy and expensive items, but I  do not do so because, one might think it silly of me to think about this, but I would hate to have my pieces destroyed to get a highly precious item removed from it by future scrapers.

 

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 Grenade Reliquary

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Orange Captive Bulb Vase

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Alien Orange Canopic Jar

Michael W. Moses goes to CoastCon 36 Science Fiction Convention in Biloxi, MS

Here is a non pottery related post for you.

Over this last weekend I went on Saturday to the 36th annual CoastCon Science Fiction convention at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Colosseum in Biloxi, MS

This year the convention saw what seemed to me to be a considerable increase in attendees from the last few years. I would like to thank the many people of CoastCon for putting together a pretty good one for 2013. It makes me anxious for the 2014 one next year!

There were a fairly large number of gamers that showed up and there were many people in costume. I found this years layout for CoastCon a bit better than in previous years at the Colosseum. There was a nice flow to the setup that really worked well.

I picked up a few items in the merchant room and went to the costume contest. This year the prize for best costume was a reproduction Brave Heart Sword, that was donated by South Coast Antiques. The sword was won by a young lady that had a great looking Wonder Woman costume that she made herself. I took a few images during the costume contest and once again was not happy at the Biloxi Colosseum's difficult lighting for photography.  After the costume contest I went around and took a few more images with my digital camera.  If you want to see a few more of the images that I took at CoastCon please go to my photobucket gallery.

I spent the evening setting around talking with some of my friends that I do not often get a chance to spend time with. We had pleasant conversation all Saturday evening, until the convention closed and we were sent out into the night.

I have spent the last two evenings processing the images that I took. I have created a few Art Photo Manipulations using some of the images that I took that I thought deserved a bit of a bump up to the next level so to speak.

I have a passion for doing my ceramic art pottery, but I must admit that I sure do love doing digital photography a whole lot.  I just love taking an image and making a collage of unrelated images that create a new and wonderful image to behold. Many do not consider this type of work to be art, but many people in the 1800's and 1900's did not consider film photography to be real art either.  To me it does not matter one way or the other. I just love digital art and photography and to me creating because one loves to create is more to do with being art than solely creating to just make money.

For a few more of my digital art photo manipulations you can see them at photobucket

I Am Back With a New Piece of Ceramic Art Pottery!

I know that it has been quite awhile since I have made a post on my pottery blog.  I must make apologies to you for this.  I have taken a small vacation from my pottery and the internet and have focused on on a number of things in the real world.  I have made it sound a bit dire maybe, but it has been far from being so. I have been working in my garden, entertaining company, working on home related projects, selling antiques, buying antiques, and generally having a busy but enjoyable time of it all!  Now I will be back to doing pottery here in Ocean Springs.  I have many new piece of ceramic art pottery in the processes of being made as I write this. About a dozen or so new works to be painted and fired!  I have gained a new and hopefully lasting focus on my sculptural pottery and I am more than ready to start back to the joy that for me is doing ceramic art pottery.

 Here is one of my latest works fresh from the kiln! I call this one "The Thorny Sea Flower Vase".  This is one of those works that just vibrates with life and color.  The tendrils all have delightfully sharp little points that will actually poke you if one picks it up by the tendrils.  This was a piece that really just came together so perfectly.  This one was a total pleasure to create.

 One last thing about this vase.  It was sold the same day I got it home from being fired!  I love to make these pieces and I must say that I also love to sell them. 

Selling your work is the benchmark to how much your work is accepted and appreciated.  For us artists it is such a feeling of satisfaction to have a piece sell.  I create art, "Ars gratia artis"(Art for art's sake)and I will create if it sells or if it does not sell, because that is what I have done all my life. So it is such an extra joy and blessing that I have been able to sell so much of my works for so many years now.

 I would also like to take this moment in my life to thank everyone that has purchased my art over the years and all the varied people that have helped me,assisted me, and supported me, in my many artistic endeavors over the years. You all know who you are I should think.

More posts and more pottery to come soon!

The Fantastic Ceramic Art Pottery of Mitchell Grafton of Panama City, FL

Yesterday I was speaking with a friend, John Maeder, owner and photographer at Pistols & Petticoats - The World's Greatest Old-Time Portrait Parlor. Located in uptown Sedona, AZ. John is a pottery collector who owns a number of my works.

John asked if I was familiar with the pottery of Mitchell Grafton of Panama City, FL. I could not place the name, but when I went to his FaceBook page I realized that I had seen some of his work online a few years back and was pretty well impressed by it. Now looking at what he has online at this point in time I am taken aback at how much truly magnificent work he has done over the years. There is image after image of the most delightful and professionally crafted pieces for one to gaze at. I am more than impressed by this man's work!  So much variety and so much quality creates a real feast for the eyes and mind.

For those people who personally know me, they know that I am not usually one to just wontonly give praise to an artist just to be giving praise. I am usually a miser with complements outside of the occasional, "Yea, that's nice". But I must tell you that this work of Mitchell Grafton's is stellar in my highly biased opinion. I am always perjured toward finely designed and executed works of art.

I must place Mitchell Grafton's richly detailed pieces in the same class and league as the works of the Martin Brothers, Jim Rumph,and of course Kris Kuksi. The afore mentioned artists are among those that I consider masters of the fantastic sculptural arts. Mostly artist seek praise. In Mitchell Grafton's case I think praise will be seeking him. I am always awed by genuine ability. Now after all this visual excitement I have to go make pottery!

Kutani Coral Artifact Ceramic Art Pottery Sculpture by Michael W. Moses

Here are a few images of me working on one of my latest pieces. This piece is called, Kutani Coral Artifact. This is (for my work) a large piece. It measures about 13 inches tall.

Here I am at my work table listening to music with my headphones on.  I  was listening to

Woods of Ypres and Old Crow Medicine Show at the time.

At this point the work had been sculpted, slowly dried, and fired to a bisque state.   I have just started to do the underglaze painting.



This is what the piece looked like after it had been completely painted, overglazed and fired. I added a number of  inset vintage glass rhinestones and a beadwork yellow sea anemone to give it just a tiny bit more pizzazz!.

A view of the back.  The front is all smooth and glassy, while the back has a rough almost rusted iron feeling.

This work of ceramic art pottery is a one of a kind item that will surely be a stand out piece in any setting that it may be placed.

Alien Orange Canopic Art Pottery Jar by Michael W. Moses

Alien Orange Canopic Jar by Michael W. Moses

I thought I would showcase one of my newest pieces of ceramic art pottery for you today.  I call this one my Alien Orange Canopic Jar. 

I found this great old heavy Italian marble jar that was probably made in the 1960's or 70's and the moment I saw it I knew that it would end up with me making a top that would bring out the beauty of this solidly made stone jar.

I purposely wanted something that was a bit different and kinda Chthonian looking, a vessel that would have an alien otherworldly air to it.  I have literally created a small hand modeled sculpture and used the white marble jar as a display stand.

The interior can hold an ancient love note, a small special objet d'art, or even a dozen or so Brasher Doubloons. It's all up to you. 

The vivid orange coloring makes this piece not only stand out, but stand out and yell to be noticed.
This is the type of thing that will be the center focal point of any room that one places it in.

Alien Orange Canopic Jar by Michael W. Moses

Michael W. Moses Goes to MobiCon XV in Mobile, Alabama, 2012

Here is a post that is a bit different for my blog. 

I have been a fan of Science Fiction and Fantasy literature and anything else related to the theme for as long as I can remember.  As a child I think I read every piece of classic science fiction and fantasy that was available. I would anxiously wait for the local drugstore to get in the latest paperbacks to see what new works were out in paperback.
So naturally Conventions are a real draw for me.

Michael W. Moses with the mysterious "Pussy the Cat" 

On Saturday the 19th I went to  MobiCon, Mobile's premier science fiction, fantasy, anime, gaming, comics, paranormal, Cosplay, and media convention.  From the moment I enter the doors of the Ashbury Hotel on Airport Blvd.  I was overwhelmed by the number of people in attendance!

Everywhere I looked there were people and so many of them were in costume.  It is nothing for people to come to these cons in costume, but in the last few years it seems that fewer people have been costuming at local conventions.  Well, There were people in Super Hero costumes. Characters from Japanese anime series. People dressed like characters from various different games.  Television characters. And loads of Steampunk inspired costumes.

After my arrival I changed into my costume for the afternoon.  I dressed in a jaunty modern Japanesque outfit, That I unfortunately did not get any images of on my camera.  I will post one in a future post, if I can get one of the many people that took pictures of this costume to email me one.

A view of the merchant's room at MobiCon XV

I spent the afternoon walking around talking with friends and meeting people. I wandered around the merchant room and looked at all the different things that the dealers had brought out for the fans to buy. I saw some really great bead work done by a very talented beader. Cool leather steam punk goggles. A wide variety of little tiny steampunk hats. That I must say would have been great to put on my cats and take pictures to put on line to embarrass them.  There were a number of people selling vintage and even a few antique items.  I bought a nice inlaid bone and exotic wood, vintage box that was more than likely made in Egypt. I also bought a great little 1920's-30's tin typewriter ribbon can that has a Japanese Geisha design on the lid.

After going out for dinner I changed into something a bit more evening appropriate  I wore a mildly steam punk, Mister Hyde character outfit of Golden evening jacket, red shirt, black pants, and top hat.  As pictured above in the image with the mysterious "Pussy the Cat", who just happened to make a special appearance, to the delight of all but the rodent visitors at the con.

I spent most of the evening, as I had for part of the afternoon taking a few images here and there.

The Game Room at MobiCon XV 2012

The costume contest was well attended by both costumers and attendees.  I can say that it looked as if a good time was had by all. 

The Top Winner of the Costume Contest

He Designed and Built His Own Steampunk  Apparatus 

Contestants During the Costume Contest

Author Christopher Rice and Michael W. Moses

 
As I was leaving I had the pleasure to meet the writer Christopher Rice and chat for a few minutes and get a quick picture taken.

I spent the rest of the evening talking with good friends and enjoying a very nicely chilled, couple of bottles of champagne.

The evening ended rather late and had an uneventful ride home to the O.S. Sigh, not even a flying saucer sighting.

Over all, after all the chaos that has swirled around the shop closing, moving to a new home, and reopening the shop at Centuries Antique Mall in D'Iberville, MS.  MobiCon was a much needed mini vacation that has left me ready to throw myself back into the fray of daily life with renewed vigor.

See more photos of MobiCon XV 2012