Boston Stoneware collection

this article is reposted from Feb 25 2012
The house we were living in was a modern two story stone.  In May 2012 we moved into our smaller garden home, meaning tiny yards, and I am still comfortable here with a crowded but serviceable studio space for painting.

While shopping at an antique flea market in New Hampshire one fall morning, I noticed a very shapely piece of stoneware that was painted white. I inquired about the jug and the dealer showed me where he had scraped the paint away from the name and some imprinted designs on the neck and said it was from Charlestown and very collectable. I passed on the jug but that piqued my curiosity about the subject. Most of our customers and my wife liked the grey stoneware with the blue decoration, flowers, birds, and leafy designs, while I was becoming more attracted to the early forms that used very little blue, often just a bit to highlight the maker’s name or city and sometimes around the handle.
These ovoid forms just talked to me. Often they had incised rings around the neck and sometimes on the shoulder of the piece and displayed imperfections in the glaze and body from the crude kilns and erratic firings, all of which showed the handwork involved in their making. On our return from the trip I started to research Charlestown pottery and discovered that Charlestown was across the river from Boston and was the home of Bunker Hill, site of our first big battle with the British in the Revolutionary War. According to our reference books, the Charlestown marked pottery was the product of a potter originally from Connecticut named Frederick Carpenter who started in the business in Boston in 1793 with a partner, Jonathan Fenton. That business lasted only a few years. Pottery produced during this 18th century period was marked Boston with a B the same size as the other letters. Carpenter tried again in 1803 with a new backer and marked his wares Boston with a large B and later Charlestown. After 1812 the Boston mark was no longer used and Charlestown was the mark until Carpenter’s death in 1827. Many wonderful pieces with these marks survived…….The pieces often had stamped designs under the town name instead of a stamped 2 or 3 to indicate the capacity in gallons. Hearts, chevrons with tassels, eagles over cannons, crosses are just some of the designs used . Often the pieces were dipped in a brown glaze top and bottom in the style of English stoneware of that time. The glaze often ran or was mottled and variegated and this effect adds to the pottery’s charm.
During 1804 a few of the pieces were stamped Boston 1804. Pride was taken in the fact that these wares were made in this country and not imported. One article written in the 1950’s said only ten pieces with this marking, Boston 1804, were known to the author. I have personally seen six or seven pieces on the market for sale with this date, so am sure there were more than ten survivors, but still they are quite rare. Enjoy the photos from my collection which I hope show some of the appeal of the pottery……Jack

Cloth children AKA big rag dolls to hug

Elaine McNally and I have made a group of dolls, so far 15 of these children, inspired by Izannah dolls.  Elaine made the cloth masks on a sculpt I did in 1990, using it as a drape mold. The body pattern and paint are mine on most. Elaine used considerable skill, sometimes adding bits of clay between the layers of the masks.  A few of them were painted by Elaine, and one has my paint on a mask made from Elain's sculpt. So they are a true collaboration. The dolls are numbered, dated and signed. If Elaine's name is first that means she painted the doll. If my name is first, I painted it.   This past Friday Elaine came for a photo shoot visit, we had no end of fun. Another time is hoped for but for now this is where we are.

In addition to group photos, Elaine made an individual portrait to catalog each doll. A few are shown below.  None of the dolls are offered for sale at this time, we are just enjoying them. I have eight and Elaine seven. The last few of these are still being clothed and finished, it has been an amazing and exciting project for us both!

 My original doll from 1990, hey! almost 30 years back!  Only six were made, all were sold and later I bought this one back from a friend in California. 

 Frederick above is doll #1 of this group, we were so excited to see him come to life! 

 Elaine's soft and lovely painting.

This little boy is almost my favorite.   e

Life has so many chapters

Jack and I were at an auction late one night in Hyannisport, the doll kept going up and Jack kept nudging me to go on up also and we named the doll Heine. He was from the collection of Madelyn Merrill. After our house fire the doll was coal black, I repainted him and friend Jean sent a tiny tan linen shirt for him and I made velveteen britches. Tonight Heine is in the room that was Jack's, along with a Schoenhut toy canon which we bought at Round Top many years ago. Heine stands 34 inches tall. Many of Jack's things are still in the room, like his pottery high on a shelf and the lovely little chest he considered our nicest piece. Jackie is still with me throughout my life.

Jack loved the painting of a young girl, the eyes reminded him of our daughter Tanya,

And where am I now?  Learning about more electronics and putting together a nice little solar set up with help from my son in law Gary.   As I become more of an activist on matters of climate, and an avid reader of each day's developments, I miss Jack's fine mind and sharp views.  I wonder what he would make of where our world is today.  I invite any who have time and interest to read my FB page entitled  "Walk in Beauty" where I express my love for our Mother Earth and her indigenous children. A few of my paintings land there also.   e

On an 18th century butterfly table no less. charging with a wire through the window. 

Solstice turns us to full summer.

West Central Texas is heating up, I spend the center of each day sheltering in place with my air conditioner and my painting supplies.  A few friends drop in and I have lots of family nearby.
My second try at the chimney rock on Ghost Ranch.  This one is oil on panel 9 x 12.  See my post of 5 15 2019 for the first one which was a study, 6 x 8, in some ways stronger than the larger one.  Still wet, just laying on the frame it will have soon.

Last month I completed a third painting of the San Geronimo ruins at Taos, Like the pueblo Mountain itself there is so much meaning there, I expect I will paint it again and again. Impossible to catch the vibrations in the ground and echoes  of those seeking sanctuary inside at the end of a bloody conflict.

This one has significance for my family.  Oil on panel 11 x 14.  

Morning and late afternoon I check on my little container garden. cherry tomatoes, yellow squash, basil, garlic chives and mint are growing.  The yard is lush and green from abundant good rain.

I have much to be grateful for in a snug comfortable home.  e