The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-26
A MODELLING PARTY
FOR HOT WEATHER
ENTERTAINMENT

modelling party was the novel -,
tertalnment given in the parIor of .
fashionable summer boarding-borsa
one rainy evening last week. The hos
tess was young woman noted MOI
only for her decoration of china h..
also as a clever entertainer. so her in
Vltatlons were accepted with alacrity
Inc guests found the parlor trans
formed into a veritable studio ~.
rugs had been removed. and in one
corner was an imitation kiln. aasilI,
constructed with manila paper and .
httle black paint An imitation nottar,s
wheel was also in evidence. On a large
center table was heap of clay. WhiIe
the hostess mixed it with water to tbe
proper consistency, she explained that
each guest was to make a pieca 90
china to keep afterward as a. souvani.
Her guests donned, with some mis-
givings, long white potter's aprons.
They were mostly of the opinion that
artists are born and not made. and
they doubted their eligibility to enter
the class. But the hostess was ready
with clever suggestions and brought
from her shelves and cabinets MANY
bits of china which might be copied
Wooden modelling tools were furnished
but most of the work was done bv
hand. AS it progressed, pencil holders
and other incongruOus articles were
made to assist. One enthusiast worked
wonders with a shell hair pin.
The objects made were various Ash
trays were favorites with the men. One
formed his into the shape of a rose
leaf, curling upward on the edges. The
VEINS of the leaf he drew with a pen-
Gil. A physician in the party was at
first despairing, but at the suggestion
of the hostess he helped himself to a
piece of clay the size of a fist and
fashioned a skull. This he scoOped hol-
low, with lid to cover the round hole
IN the top, and had a pretty tobacco
box. Others made beer stems and low
ing cups. The girls fashioned odd pin
trays and flower holders.
The guests did not carry away the
results of their labors, but left them
with the artist. She sent them to be
fired at a pottery in neighborng
town. AS all the objects We're small,
the cost was trifiing. When they re-
turned a few days later, they were as
dainty china pieces as could be de-
sired.
One thing to remember in getting up
such party is that potter's clay and
not the ordinary modelling clay, must
be procured. 1t may be bought at a
pottery for about three cents a pound,
and it should be returned there later
to be fired and glazed
Summer schools of ceramic art have
been established in various country
places, and, if convenient, clay might
be procured from one of these.
Otherwise it may be ordered by mail
| and expressed from the pottery.
Small potteries are best to buy of,
for makers of celebrated wares are not
willing to allow samples of their clay
70 go outside of their shops. However,
book on the manufacture Of pottery
may be had at most libraries, and a
copy be made from it of a receipt for
the clay, which any potter will COM
pound to order.
The clay may be any of several
shades of gray or brown, which is pref
ty when simply glazed. White or
cream-colored clay is more common,
and may be colored any desired shade
at the pottery by having the glaze
tinted before being applied.
1t might be advisable, at large
gathering, to furnish each worker with
wooden modeling-stick, such as can
be bought at art stores for ten cents
each. The greater part of the work.
however, is done by hand, and this Is
not essential.
Prizes should be unnecessary, each
guest being rewarded with the result
of his own labor. If desired, however,
an award might be given for the most
original ornament and another for the
best copy of some object in the ROOM
The prizes could be anything in eartn-
enware, from a beer stein costing 20
cents to a handsome piece OF china