Ceramic nativities

 Carole began taking ceramic classes at the South County Recreation Center in 1991. It was the same year that she began collecting nativities. The center has a lot of nativity molds. Some are one piece and others are multiple pieces. There is only one set that she hasn't made and that is because it is too big. She has used different techniques on different molds. Carole also scoured ceramic shops and catalogs for both greenware (ceramics before it is fired) and bisque (after it is fired). She has also found bisque in flea markets and yard sales. If a piece has been done it stains, the stains can be fired off and repainted. She has also done this with pieces from flea markets that were poorly painted.

     You can finish a ceramic piece in several different ways including glazing, staining, and chalking. Carole prefers staining and chalking.

Left side glazed and right side chalked. The right one was a fair entry.

I like this better without the candles. The holders look like little wells to me.

A pot pourri holder

The first horn nativity that I made.

Found this piece as bisque in a thrift store

Glazed ornament

Two different styles of nativity trees. 

This will be one of two 2019 Anne Arundel County fair entries in "Ceramics:" Below is the piece before it was dry brushed.

The second step in the staining/dry brushing method. The first step is to base coat the piece and then antique it.

Chalked modernistic nativity. 2017 fair entry

Ceramic lamp shades using the same molds but finished differently. The one on the left is just antiqued blue. The one on the right has been chalked.

Same shade dry brushed. These shades can be used with candles or lamp bases. 

Small ceramic nativity which will be one of three 20017 Anne Arundel County Fair entries.

This wreath will be Carole''s second ceramic entry at the 2017 Anne Arundel County Fair. She found the this piece in bisque online.

 

Nativity scene in lighted wreath. The first one Carole made. It was intended for the 2013 AA County Fair but did not get there.She gave it away and made a duplicate for 2014. It got "Best of Show"

Candle holder (Carole has made this one several times to use as gifts)

Ornaments

An ornament

Found at a school craft fair which was part of Autumn Glory (annual festival in Oakland, MD). It was not very well done but Carole bought it because she knew the stains could be fired off. She redid it. When entered in the Anne Arundel County Fair it got first place and Reserve Champion.

Votive candle holder

The "stable" is chalked and the figures are dry brushed.

Dry brushed

Stained nativity in a cut out tree.

This looks like it is a lid to a bowl but where was the bowl when Carole found it

Glazed nativity on a pedestal. Carole calls it "The Egg

Indian Flight to Egypt. Note Mary is riding on a pony

Dry brushed Indian set. Got greenware from Larrianne

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Holds a hurricane globe and candle

Ceramic but looks like wood because it is only antiqued which is the second step of drybrushing.

Dry brushed one piece nativity

The following nativities use the same mold but two different methods. The ones on the left were painted and the ones on the right were chalked. The chalked nativities will be 2019 Anne Arundel County Fair entries.

Painted (the second one I made)

Chalked

Chalked

Painted (the first one I made)