Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-10

and there stopped and picked it up and
locked thoughtful, while they asked, 'This
IS new. What is it. and who did it?''
These few were collectors and people of
their tastes. One day an ingenious sales
man slipped a tiny electric light inside the
vase ard instantly every shopper that came
in exclaimed at the beauty of the piece
Back of tire quietness and refinement that
ere inscparable from white chiseled work
was the mo0nhghty effect of the light creep
ing. the semi-trsnsnarent texture throwing
the classic figure ont in relief against a
transparent background.
4 Young Girls Discovery.
This work is interesting from another
than the artistic side-from the personal
one. 1t is the work of Kate B. Sears, a
young girl. who, not many years ago, went
from her home in Kansas to Boston to study
modelling Miss Sears had a wish to see
what could be done with modelling as applied
10 pottery, and after her study in Boston
went 10 the potteries in Trenton, n. j., to
see if it WAS practicable. She at first tried
applying modelled decoration to the wet
Beileek clay vases, but they dried too rapid
" snd would not bear rewetting. She went
home one night revolving a new project in
he hCad-That OF carving q design into the
dry ware before 1t was fired. To be sure,
there were no tools to aid such a process,
bGt she could make something serve her
purpose: she was sure Of that. Anv woman
Who has once found out the possibilities of
the hairpin is never daunted at the absence
OF tools
Hiss Sears didn't try hairpin, but she
r "a f,.r-+ +1,o sl-a1y- l-.,,f
With a sharp, firm blade she began the
next morning TO whittle at little pitcher.
1t was an inspired kind of whiting. Lit
tie by little the outline of a small, chubby
Cupid appeared, bashtul Cupid, with
his arms thrown over his eyes, bringing
his dmpied figure out in strong relief
against the rough background of the
pi1cher. Beside him lay his bow and
broken arrow. The piece was fired and
came out better than the worker had hoped.
1t really looked like a new idea in pottery,
and a successful one at that.
She E@s Opened Up a New Field.
Miss Sears tried again. 1t was not so
easy 10 touch firmly enough to cut
the ware and yet not to crush it, for
IN that state it is as fragile as a
bit of hollow chalk. Each time the
success was more distinctive. Each of the
few pieces nat were now made was cut in
the same Way with a penknife. And each
Is better than the one before. The effect of
the work when done, especially when the
pieces are lighted from within, is that of
moonlight falling on the objects repre-
Eensed. CnconscioUsly, perhaps but very
artis'ically. The character of the figures por-
traved IS admirably adapted to this treat
pleHt There are Cupids and fays and deli
cate up-spriHging figures that are part
flowers and part fairies. And so great is
The artistic success Of the new work that
Miss Sears name is already spoken of as
the designer Of a distinctively new and
original piece OF pottery.
Personally. Miss Sears is Is interesting as
her work She is thoroughly sensible and
modest. ~ am entirely in lack of materials
fer Fanity," she says, ''and in praise of my
work l dread over paise. I think the idea
Of chiseled porcelain will stand ever so
much. praise, but the present execution of
the work is not what l would have it" Miss
Sears is firm believer in the bright future
Of the ceramic art in America, and "for my
ParS in that future, she says, 81 hope to be
able 10 keep Oh studying art as high art and
rs earnestly studied as though it were to be
applied to Carrara marble instead of china"
i Miss Sears fulflls the promise of her
early girIhood, when that future in ceramic
ErJ gets here, she will be counted among the
first n&yiEatOTS in the vessel that has brought
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