I continue writing about porcelain and its creators whom I admire and whom I consider models of taste. Today we are speaking about Wedgwood porcelain. English porcelain. Classic but diverse. And certainly elite.

The year of the foundation of the Wedgwood brand is 1759, a year when Josiah Wedgwood rented a manufactory in Burslem, Staffordshire county. So the brand is already 258 years old, of which more than 200 years the British porcelain factory Wedgwood has been supplying porcelain for the English royal court, as well as for the best houses all over the world. In the list of buyers, for example, appear the Empress Catherine II, Queen Charlotte of England, US President Theodore Roosevelt. Nowadays, none of official dinners of the Queen of Great Britain is without a classic Wedgwood set for 47 000 items.

Speaking of variety. Almost immediately after the opening, in 1765, the manufactory created «creamy» porcelain (named after its color) covered with the finest glaze, its second name is «royal». Three years later, «black basalt» was invented, unglazed porcelain which is so firm that might be polished and cut. And in 1775 — «jasperware» porcelain. By the end of the 20th century, the main products of Wedgwood are made of bone china.

Kitchenware with a blue «W» stamp is faaar from cheap but, according to the manufacturer, it is surprisingly durable. To show its firmness, at the opening of one of Wedgwood boutiques in London a multi-toned car was put on four coffee cups, the cups held the weight without a single crack.

It is interesting that, despite its traditional image, the brand keeps pace with the times: in addition to classic dishes it produces avant-garde lines including non-traditional profile products. For example, even a bowl for a cat is included in one of the last collections. Maybe, I’ll buy it one day for my three «kitties» — one for all.

Sometimes people ask me: for what purpose is that all? Why do they buy such expensive and unnecessary in everyday life things: after all, posh china sets or dolls can not be eaten or worn as clothes. My answer is: in order to start collecting exquisite and fine things, a person must first satisfy her/his primary needs.

To compare potatoes and a picture of Van Gogh is similar to comparison between hot and blue. Everything is equally beautiful) But! First food, then cinnamon buns. And that is okay, friends! This is what a person can strive for: to live your life so that you not only have enough for pasta, but also for a piece of porcelain (or any other) art that you can look at while eating the pasta.

And it is not necessary to think that your life has failed, if you can not afford this doll or that porcelain set. The main thing is to have a string inside which trembles because of beauty! If you have it, you are already a RICH person. In addition to basic needs eat-drink-sleep-breed, you also have a need for beauty, you can experience a bonus pleasure: ENJOYING BEAUTY! Have you ever thought how cool it is?

I’ve recently been to the Tretyakov Gallery. Maybe it was the 10th time I was there, or maybe more. And what do you think? I CRIED in front of the picture of Savrasov “The Rooks Have Come Back.” Why? Because of the happiness due to coming spring. Because of memories. Because of beauty.

I was followed by a group of Spaniards who consistently examined the same pictures near which I stayed. One of them saw my tears and a smile and asked why I’m crying. And I told him about our long winter, about the fact that every spring for us is a new life, every time it’s a joy, birds, sun! He asked: but there is no sun in this picture?! And I answered: there is no sun, but it will be! This picture is a PROMISE! And then I saw how his lip also twitched.

You see, this is what beauty is, that’s the reason why all this unnecessary and unutterable art is for: for experiencing additional feelings, which may not be in your life at all. It’s like living not in four but in five dimensions – that’s the reason why all these porcelain sets, all these porcelain dolls, and all these paintings are for.

One of my collectors says: “I come home in the evening, turn on the lighting in the closet with dolls and just look at them. I’m relaxing. I enjoy it! I feel so good!”

within the rubric #agressivearttales

From time to time I can hear extracts of the modern bjd hands discussions and phrases like “arthritic hands, “twisted fingers”, etc. There are at least two points of view on the question.

• artist – wants to demonstrate craftsmanship, ability to manage the plastic, so she/he bends fingers as intensive as it possible (sometimes too much).
• customer – sees unnatural posture and become “frightened” (even me freek out periodically).

I try to see the situation from different points, otherwise life would be boring 

There was such an artist Egon Schiele. Weird, genius for sure, vicious, beautiful, and unappreciated by his contemporaries. But now, he is appreciated very well: his painting was sold for £8 million in 2013. And Hands are his landmark, to be more exact such broken, arthritic hands. 
Schiele’s hands are not physical parts of a human body, pieces of flesh but a tangle of inner contradictions, a sign of inner nervous tension, something which is supposed to be observed for a long time to find hidden meanings, something which might be read as a book.

OOAK bjd dolls have already crossed the game theme line, they carry characters, thoughts, and, I hope, a spark of art. Therefore, I would like you to let the artist to create her/his image in the way they like. A True Beauty is born in freedom of expression. ? And if you do not like something, it does not mean that this something is not beatiful, it means that your Beauty is still waiting for you, it’s merely not there.

I intercede for cutomers too: a customer wants to see in her/his cabinet what she/he likes. And that is right! That’s why you have to buy only what you love, without any looking back. So, we are talking about the freedom of expression again – your choice is your freedom, and being an artist I respect this choice always and endlessly.

❤️ Here I feel obliged to say thank you to all my collectors for their choice, to my followers – for their support. You chose me and I’m happy because of that! 

I hear, read, and answer question “Where did you studied?” very often. I answer again (and I’m sure I will be answer this question many times in the future): I’m self educated. 

Of course, I examined beatiful works of the other bjd artists in the very beginning and dreamed of making something of my own – not merely mine but good mine, something that will satisfy my inner perfectionist. But I couldn’t. Or to be more exact, everything I made that period turned out to be some secondary garbage, a copy of copies. And it turned out to be boring (at least for me). 

And then, I realized that to become happy I just need to turn around – in the opposite direction, to stop copying other people’s dolls, and to start looking at something more, something that I have always loved and what inspired me since early childhood: world art. 

After that, things started looking up: the images and characters crowded in my head, jostled and shouted: I’m the next! They still jostled, by the way, while I’m trying to organize a queue 

Oh my God, I’m crazy about my Medusa’s long legs )) I wish I could have the same but.. nope, so I sculpturing long-legged and thin-knees porcelain girls 

Actually, as it often happens, an artist (me in the case) embodies what he/she would like to be in his/her works. In addition to long beatiful legs I was always wanted to have gills and fins to swim with Delphines under water freely..

Do you know what would you like to change in your appearance or maybe to have additionally? Have you ever thought about this?