Arts, Crafts, Music, & Events of Breckinridge County Issue 9, February 2016 | Page 52

Featured Artist of the Month

Stephen Boyd

Over the years I have collected pieces of hand
painted china. That type of painting reached
its heyday during the late Victorian Period
and really lost popularity as a result of WWI
and the scarcity of porcelain blanks. During
the 1980’s there was a very active China
Painting Guild here in Hardinsburg. I joined
that group and we normally met in Reba
Whittler’s house. Our primary teacher was Claire
Waggner from Knottsville, KY.
China painting uses dry paints that are mixed with oils and then
applied to white china blanks. It is then fired in a kiln, and the glaze
on the china becomes very gelatinous and the paints sinks into the
glaze. Normally it takes three fires to complete a finished piece.
China paint cannot be applied in
heavy coats or it will be too much
for the glaze to accommodate and
the paint will flake during the firing
or after the china cools. In painting
china or porcelain one learns
specific strokes such as C strokes
and Comma strokes. Also, the
painter must learn to mix paints,
design and also how to fire and at
what temperatures. Patience is
required to both learn the
techniques and to complete a piece.
However, the finished painting is
rewarding and beautiful.