Artwork by Crystal Nolfo~Brown

Showing at Southdown Marketplace

2012-03-02T06:26:00.001-06:00

It’s official. My paperwork came in and I’ll be showing my pottery at Southdown Marketplace on March 31st 2012. I'll have a mix of pieces that I've worked on for quite some time and hopefully including some very recent pieces with new surface designs. I'm working hard to get things finished for the deadline. My booth is #313. Hope to see you there. The show is held from 8:00 A.M. till 4:00 P.M. Rain or shine the show will go on so lets hope for a beautiful day.

For those not familiar with Southdown Marketplace, it’s our semi-Annual Arts and Crafts festival in Houma, La. It’s held at the Southdown Plantation grounds and is located at 1208 Museum Dr. at the corner of Hwy. 311 and St. Charles St.

Showing at Southdown Marketplace 2011

2011-11-03T17:16:00.001-05:00

Southdown Marketplace is on Saturday November 5th and I'll be selling pottery in booth #1. It's a fine arts and crafts festival with a variety of work. A booth became available last minute and I decided to go ahead and take it. I don't know how much I'll be able to setup this fast but I'll try and show as much as possible. It should be a beautiful day with a good turnout.

The show is at the Southdown Plantation grounds at the corner of Hwy 311 and St Charles in Houma, Louisiana.

My Pottery Used for Illustration in HandbuiltPotteryOnline.net

2011-10-19T17:02:00.004-05:00

I'm a little late in writing this but better late than never. The owner of Handbuilt Pottery Online requested the use of some of my pottery to be used in her October issue. I did proudly accept and she used two of my sgraffito pieces. I must mention the wonderful article she wrote about the history of the sgraffito. Anyone wanting to learn just about everything there is to know about this technique should read the article. I felt honored that she used my Pelican platter for the illustration of the article. The other piece she used was of an Iris on a small vessel and was entered in the "Sgraffito Gallery II". I found her website interesting and enjoyable. There's photos of beautiful work and lots of information on pottery making.
I hope that you enjoy it.

To see the article on sgraffito click here: Strange Name Beautiful Technique
To see the website home page click here: Handbuilt Pottery Online

Downtown Art Gallery 630 - Spring Art Show 2011

2011-03-23T12:29:00.000-05:00

Downtown Art Gallery 630's annual Spring Art Show will held from March 27th through April 12th. The registration is today and I'll be entering two paintings and two pieces of sgraffito pottery. Art lovers should get out and see the show. It's a great chance to see what the local artists are doing.

The gallery is located at 630 Belanger St. Houma, Louisiana

Ikebana Containers in Use

2011-02-12T16:17:00.000-06:00

I made the arrangement above to showcase two of my pottery Ikebanas. The flowers for the arrangement only cost $4.00 at my local grocery and I already had the stones.

I love flowers and one day came across an Ikebana arrangement. It was love at first sight. It’s such an artistic way of arranging flowers that I was drawn like a magnet. Ikebana is the Japanese Art of Floral Arrangement where you use very few flowers arranged in an asymmetrical way. It is now becoming popular all over the world. Greenery and other materials such as branches are incorporated in the arrangement. Ikebana not only showcases the flower's bloom but also celebrates other parts of the plants like the stems and leaves. It is a minimalistic form and usually only consists of a few blooms in the arrangement. The materials in the arrangement are placed so that they are balanced which can be easily done once with little practice. The design is often made using a triangular pattern. A triangular pattern is achieved by taking three flowers or foliage branches and arranging them so that when you draw an invisible line to each tip end it will form a triangle.

I enjoy the concept and I use the basic idea to make my own arrangements. I find it easy and inexpensive to pick a few flowers and some greenery from my yard, stick them in pin frog and I have a beautiful display. A small bunch of flowers at my local floral department can make a nice arrangement that is also very beautiful while still very inexpensive.
There are many types of containers and I offer some on my Ikebana page on my website, but you can also use many of the items on my "Open Vessels" page. All you need is a Kenzan (pin frog) which holds the stems in place. I send one along with pots listed on the Ikebana page. Please note that Ikebana containers that are tall and cylindrical do not use a Kenzan.

For more information go to this informative link: All About Ikebana

Thursday is Painting Day

2011-02-10T16:57:00.007-06:00

Today is going to be deemed my “Painting Day”. I was invited to paint with some artist friends on Thursdays at Downtown Art Gallery 630 so I jumped at the chance. How can I pass that up? It’s so cold that I don’t feel like working with clay and this will be a nice break. So this morning I threw together my supplies, grabbed the first good subject I could find and ran out the door. I arrived at 10:00 AM…. perfect.

I couldn’t imagine a better time. The company was enjoyable and inspirational as was expected and I can’t wait to do it again. Once a week on Thursdays is what I’m going to strive for. Hopefully I’ll be able to work that in every week. I’m happy with my work. Here is the completed painting. It’s a 9 x 12 oil painting on gesso coated board which is what I usually work with. I will add it to my website at a later date. http://www.cnbpottery.com/

Lonely Apple
9 x 12

Rooster Mug and Child’s Rabbit Bowl–Quick Sgraffito

2010-12-04T11:43:00.003-06:00

To Purchase Bowls, Plates, Cups or Mugs click here.

I made this Rooster mug in an attempt to offer some easily affordable sgraffito pottery. This design was not as time consuming as my other more detailed work, therefore the average person can afford these. It was also fun work so I know I’ll be making a lot more with different designs. This mug was thrown and altered. I manipulated the body after throwing on the potter’s wheel to give it a sort of crumpled look. This one holds a little over 1 1/4 cups.

This children’s bowl with a cute little bunny and sun design is another example of a quick sgraffito design.

Stoneware Pottery–Curved Trays with Slip Trailed Fish Design

2010-12-04T04:32:00.001-06:00

These curved tray type dishes have a free form slip trailed fish. This whimsical design would look great in a bathroom, bedroom or kitchen for placing bars of soap, sponges or for placing jewelry or keys. They can also merely be viewed as a decorative piece in the living room. The two above measure about 7 1/2” x 6.

To purchase Medium Curved Fish Tray click here

The tray below is listed as a platter due to it’s size.
It measures about 10.5" x 5.75.

To purchase Curved Platter click here.

Mixed Stoneware Oil Bottles or Bud Vases

2010-12-03T15:09:00.006-06:00

To purchase these bottles click here.

Here are some new stoneware bottles made using satin glazes. The tall bottles I call "cylinder bottles" since they are tall and straight sided. They are versitile and can be fitted with a spout to be used as an oil bottle. (I include the spout upon request.) They can also be used as a vase and look great holding either a single flower or a few.

The bottle on the far right is an oil bottle that is made with several thrown parts. The cylinder bottles are hand built and made from several parts which are extruded, slabbed and thrown. After I complete each part they are carefully joined together to form the bottle that you see.

I also have a wide assortment of Sgraffito and Botanical Imprinted bottles available on the "Bottles" page of my website that can be fitted with a spout. Included is a swamp scene with egret and two abstract florals. See the link below.

To Purchase Sgraffito & Botanical imprinted bottles click here.
http://www.cnbpottery.com/

White Sgraffito Design on Dark Clay - Example of side view.

2010-12-02T19:12:00.002-06:00

I started making sgraffito pottery using white over dark clay. I only show one frontal view on my website of each piece to save time and space but each piece really has a diminsion that can't be reveiled in one photo. Therefore I am showcasing one of my pots and giving two side views to give an idea of the artwork that can wrap around the side of the piece. I do offer to send more photos of any pottery to whoever is interested in purchasing a certain piece from my website. You only need to email a request with the item number.

After testing several glazes I came upon this one and I'm very pleased with the results. I have several new pieces listed on my website now. This glaze gives a nice toasty appearance across the whole piece and really brings out the darker clay with sort of a reddish tint. I also have listed some that have a clear glossy glaze and those are more of a pure white.

To Purchase click here.

Two Pottery Angels Now Available

2010-12-01T19:44:00.001-06:00

These are two pottery angels that I recently completed. One is a Powder Blue glaze with a patina and the other is made with a dark clay and glaze also with a patina. The process in which I make them is described on my website.

To Purchase Angels Click Here.

Drive Down Bayou Dularge

2010-11-15T10:21:00.001-06:00

During the time when the Gulf was closed due to the BP oil spill, I went for a ride down the bayou to get some photos of trawl boats for my artwork. Since the Gulf was shut down, these shrimpers decided to take that time to repair their nets. I had the opportunity to take some great photos that day. From those photos I was able to work up some drawings and have quite a few designs worked up. Here is my trial run of a couple of them. The top one shows what happens when you drop a tile before it's fired. Oops. It cracked but I decided to break it up more and fire it anyway. It just might be part of a mosaic some day.

I had a great time talking with some very nice and interesting people that day and also had the opportunity to watch them make stitches in their nets. That's something I hadn't seen since I was a small child watching my great grandmother make a net by hand. I remember her reluctance in allowing me to make a couple stitches in her precious net. She took great pride in what she was doing and was known for her work. This was a source of their income, so I imagine letting go of it was hard. She did show me but unfortunately this knowledge had been long forgotten. It was nice to see it done again and to reflect so far back into the past.

Latest Platters from the Kiln.

2010-10-01T19:29:00.006-05:00

SOLD Alligator Platter

These are probably the last of the sgraffito platters that I'll fire before Christmas and the holidays. One shrimp design and one alligator design. These are listed for purchase along with previus platters on my website. My platters have scenes made using my own drawings and photos. I always use a basic design for the outline of an element or two and then carve the rest free hand. It's a slow and laborious process but I love the results.

Go to: http://www.cnbpottery.com/

Two Sgraffito Pots - Bayou Scenes

2010-10-01T19:21:00.004-05:00

SOLD

To purchase this container click here.

With these two pieces of pottery I made each using a similar design. One has white coating over dark clay and the other has a black coating over an ivory white clay. Both are glazed with a clear glaze. Although the design is similar they are all different in some way. I use a basic design but carve by hand as I go on most of it.

A Pelican Design and an Iris Design on Sgraffito Pottery. White on Dark Clay

2010-10-01T19:16:00.000-05:00

This is sgraffito pottery that I made using a dark clay under a white clay coating with a clear glaze. The white clay coating is carved away to make this design. This one is of a pelican sitting on a post overlooking water. I show two views so that you can see the design used on the back and sides.

Here is another sgraffito pottery pot of an Iris flower. This is a flower that grows wild here in Louisiana.

Platters and Two Colander/Berry Bowls

2010-09-23T11:58:00.003-05:00

This is a deeper platter with four nice handmade feet. For additional views please send email request.

Textured platter with handles

Here is two colander/berry bowls. The last one is the largest.
To purchase my work go to http://www.cnbpottery.com/

Stoneware Sgraffito Platters with Shrimp Design & Egret in Swamp Design

2010-09-23T11:27:00.006-05:00

SOLD Egret in Swamp Scene

Here are some new Sgraffito platters. I only have two left to fire and that will probably be it for the platters till the end of the year. One is my Alligator Design and the other will be another Shrimp Design. Soon I will be firing some work that I’ve made with white on dark clay background.

Stoneware Platters Available with Egret and Pelican Designs

2010-09-22T13:02:00.007-05:00

To purchase click here.

SOLD Egret in Swamp Scene

Here are three 12" Sgraffito stoneware platters that I just finished. This is my favorite kind of work and I get such a satisfaction when I am finally able to pull them out of the kiln completed. I've already added these to my website so refer to it for purchases and to see more pottery and paintings available.

CNBpottery.com

Stoneware Pottery Jar

2010-09-13T17:19:00.001-05:00

This is another item done in a recent firing. It's a stoneware pottery jar with a wood fired look. It has an impression done with a hand made rose stamp. Available for sale on the "Pots with Lids" page on http://www.cnbpottery.com/. Go to my "Online Gallery" page to see everything listed for purchase.

My latest work

2010-09-13T17:07:00.000-05:00

I'm taking this time to post an example of my latest work in stoneware clay. This is a wheel thrown and altered piece. It is made using speckled clay which is a clay that I love to use. I've impressed a small design on the lower right side. I have three similar to this that are added to my web site for sale.

My Pottery Website is Up and Running

2010-09-11T08:59:00.003-05:00

I'm finally finished my pottery website so take it for a test run. Now I will be able to concentrate on pottery making and painting. I will soon be glazing my latest platters which are sgraffito designs of local pelicans, egrets and alligators in swamp scenes. I also have a cool image of a Gulf Shrimp done before he hit the pot. I also have a couple platters that will be glazed with multicolored glazes.

I plan on having at least a couple angels available for Christmas so I will be getting started on those soon too. I'm hoping to have those ready sometime in October.

As I take everything out of the kiln, images will be posted on my blog, so subscribe to it if you would like to get email updates on kiln openings. You can then refer back to my website for purchases at http://www.cnbpottery.com/. You also have option to subscribe to RSS feed. Personally I find the email updates are more convienent but it's your choice.

Hope you enjoy my new website and my up and coming art works.

Crystal Nolfo~Brown
http://www.cnbpottery.com/

Updating Pottery Website

2010-09-02T06:18:00.000-05:00

I've been working on my pottery website for quite a while. Hopefully it will be ready to publish soon so I can get back to working with clay. Maybe make a painting or two. That would be nice. Till then my old web page is still running. I haven't updated it since it was written with Front Page which is no longer available. I have a new program and I'm writing a site that my customers will be able to purchase directly from it, or contact me for orders.

Crystal Nolfo~Brown
http://www.cnbpottery.com/

Riding through the Reeds in the Marsh

2010-06-05T09:14:00.007-05:00

Beautiful scene fishing
Top of the reeds seem to point the heavens.

Riding through the marsh reminds me of walking trails in the woods. We kayaked twisting and turning through marsh that is like tiny islands everywhere.

Birds feed off this seed.

Entrance to the marsh. You can't tell very well from this photo

but you can turn left or right towards the middle.

These are the last photos I'll post from our day in Cocodrie, La. Riding through the reeds was beautiful and exciting. I feel lucky to be able to have the opportunity to do it whenever I want. Hopefully that pleasure isn't taken away due to the negligence and inablity to act quickly to keep BP's oil from our coastal wetlands.

Redfish - A Fish in Abundance

2010-06-05T08:33:00.007-05:00

It was fun fishing from the kayaks with my husband. Got so many hits and a wonderful meal of fresh grilled Redfish because of it.

The Oil and Gas Industry has been a part of our economy for decades and has been practiced safely for decades. Shoreside you can see images of it in the works. The wetlands and industry are intermingled. This is our home and our lives, because of it "Safety First" is a huge statement and practiced thoughout companies here. Safety for human life along with safety for the environment is important. It's my opinion the rig accident of April 20th 2010 was due to a handful of people that did not practice "Safety First". They gambled with lives and our environment. That is criminal and because of what happened, there will be a ripple effect across the U.S. in ways that many are not aware of.

2010-06-05T08:27:00.001-05:00

The first photo is of the marina we launched our kayak from. Second is a shot of one of the many bugs. And the last shot is actually of two birds feeding on the grass seeds. See how easily they are camouflaged?

Life Around and Within the Reeds

2010-06-05T01:51:00.005-05:00

There is life in and around the reeds. Where I was I could only hear a little splash every so often. It took a while to find this Green Heron because the reeds are like camouflage. In the first photo you can't see it. The second photo is where I was able to get closer in my kayak. I was amazed at how close this bird let me get.

Kayaking in Cocodrie, Louisiana

2010-06-05T00:58:00.006-05:00

This is what they call "the end of the world". It's the southern point of Cocodrie, Louisiana which leads out to the Gulf and is known worldwide as one of the places here for great fishing. On the drive from Houma leading here you will see the bayou which runs along the road and you will see wetlands. You will see Egrets, Blue Heron, Pelicans, Hawks, ducks. I could go on forever listing the birds. We are also known by birders for the best birding in the country. Terrebonne Parish, Lafourche Parish, it's these parishes where the birds live or migrate and stop off before traveling onward home. What you don't see is how much wildlife is withing the reeds. You don't see this in a photo. Not unless you get the chance to ride through can you get a small glimps of whats there. Stop the car. Watch and wait. You will see animals moving through if you can get a close look. You see the fish jumping. Even then you can't see what you'd like because they are within the lush reeds. I have the great opportunity to kayak through here with my husband. We fished. We road through the reeds. If you can get close enough, you see it, you hear it. You hear the birds calling. You hear the reeds rustling. You can only imagine what it is. Close your eyes because those are the senses that are most stimulated. In these photos you can see the reeds. What you can't see now is how they are really like trails through the woods, only the path is water.

Photography First

2010-06-02T23:25:00.006-05:00

Photography was one of the first art forms I was interested in and is a great resource for my works in clay and paint. I've been interested in photography since I was a teenager and refer to the multitudes of photographs I take locally.

My need to expose the beauty of South Louisiana's culture, wildlife and wetlands, to the world, is what inspires many of my designs. The people, food and culture here is interesting and unlike anything in the U.S. All this is what makes this place home. It's my life. It's what I'm about. It's a part of me.

Now I feel hurried. Documentation is needed more than ever to prove that it all was once here, because in the near future, it will no longer be. At the rate we are loosing wetland, this could happen in my children's lifetime. This is nothing new. The world should know.

My first posts will be of some local photographs. The beginnings of my designs.

Photography in South Louisiana. The source of my art work.

2010-06-02T22:50:00.003-05:00