Today, artisan Jane Ann Driscoll of Canterbury Pottery shares what goes into creating Alive Hospice’s 2011 holiday ornament. Each ornament is hand-made, and the intricate design is a reminder that Alive Hospice provides care anywhere a patient calls home. Each purchase helps make that care available to all who need it, regardless of insurance coverage status or ability to pay.

How long have you made porcelain ornaments? 

I have been making the ornaments for about 9 years. I started out using my white stoneware clay that I use for bigger wheel-thrown pieces and quickly realized it was too rough and not white enough for my brand of perfectionism so I moved on to porcelain.  I used a pretty good porcelain until last year when I found the amazing pure white porcelain I am using now. The main ingredient is mined in England and I just love how much whiter and brighter it turns out.

 

How long does it take to complete each ornament?

The Alive Hospice ornaments take right at 3 hours to carve and sand and then another 6 hours to fire in the kiln.

 

What’s involved in creating the ornaments?

I start with a drawing of the design, then make a template out of plastic sheeting by cutting out the design (the plastic holds up better than a paper template if I have to make multiple ornaments). I have a contraption called a slab roller where I roll out a huge slab of wet porcelain the correct thickness for the ornament. After it dries a bit I cut out the outside circle for the ornament.

 

Then I use the needle tool (the equivalent of a sewing needle with a small wooden dowel used as the handle) to carefully care out the intricate designs. After carving, the edges are still rough so I use the needle tool to bevel all the edges of every cut. And then, to make them even smoother, I use a small paint brush dipped in water and smooth out the edges completely. 

 

After about a day the ornament is dry and I can use a very fine sanding sponge to sand the whole piece and all the edges even more. The sanding takes about an hour for each ornament because I am such a perfectionist and want the piece to be as smooth as possible. This is done outside with the use of a very good respirator. Once I get enough ornaments made (about 40) to fill my kiln, I fire it for about 6 hours until it reaches around 2,100 or so degrees.

 

What is your hope for every piece you create?

My only goal when I create a piece is to make it the best I possibly can, as perfect as possible in hopes that it brings joy to those that own them. I love to watch the clay go from one thing to another, to see it change and grow.

 

What do you think about as you make these keepsakes? 

I spend a lot of time thinking about the people who will receive the pieces, whether they are people that have been touched by the use of the hospice services themselves and have grieved and feel the need to give back to the organization that helped them. Or just people who are kind-hearted and generous and want to help others in a time when they need it the most.

 

My hope would be that people who order the ornaments would feel joy and comfort. I believe in good things coming back two-fold to those that give to others so I believe those who give to Alive Hospice will in some aspect of their lives receive something they need at just the right time in their lives.

 

I pray for all those touched by hospice as I’m working and hope that somehow in the spiritual realm of life some of that gets caught up in the work and finds its way to the donors. I hope somehow the donors are touched, inspired, and receive goodness back for their good deeds.

 

I honestly and truly try to send the love that I use in creating the work along with each piece.

 

To order a 2011 Alive Hospice holiday ornament, click here.