52 weeks of Art Plates with Laura Fraedrich: Week 1-6

Hello iLoveToCreate® Blog fans! My name is Laura Fraedrich and I am a mixed media and ceramic artist who gets to work at the happiest place on earth….iLoveToCreate®! I work on the Ceramics team and although I’m supposed to be a salesperson, I just can’t keep my hands off of all the Duncan® glazes and bisque pieces that I work around everyday. I am addicted to painting ceramics and no naked piece of bisque is safe in my presence. It won’t be naked for long!

I’m definitely not what you would call a ‘traditional’ ceramics painter. I’m more, how should I put this… experimental. I love to combine techniques that I use in my mixed media art on my ceramic projects. I love to break the rules and have a hard time following instructions because I’m always trying to write my own. I also love to find new uses for classic products. My latest obsession is trying to achieve the look of art journaling pages onto ceramic plates. I’ve given myself a personal challenge to complete one plate each week for all of 2013, so when the year is over I will have a series of 52. I am currently working on plate number 7 and have been asked to share the progression of my plate-a-week challenge with you here on the iLoveToCreate® blog. It would be my pleasure! Let me catch you up with the first six plates. I write about them in more detail on my personal blog – The Peculiar Palette – if you’d like to read more…

Let me catch you up with the first six plates. I write about them in more detail on my personal blog – The Peculiar Palette – if you’d like to read more…

Plate # 1 – New Year’s Resolution 

This is what I resolve to do in 2013, in addition to my plate-a-week challenge. 

I’m going to be a busy girl.

Plate #2 – Poetic Picassoness
This is one of my favorite quotes by Pablo Picasso. I can relate to it because anytime I have a lump of clay or a paintbrush in my hand, I forget all the things I would otherwise be worrying about. I’m sure you can relate too! 

 

Plate #3 – I Just Can’t Get Enough of You, Pablo
This is another great quote from Picasso and fits my plate-a-week challenge perfectly. I’m going to be keeping my diary on ceramics this year! 

 

Plate #4 – The Art of Stacking Rocks
This is a quote from another one of my favorite artists, Henri Matisse, which fits well with my ode to Cairns (stacked rocks). 

 

Plate #5 – Complementary Fonts
This plate was inspired by a project I saw in a recent issue of Somerset Studios by Gail Russakov. I love how she combined different textures and colors, so I wanted to create something similar using a wide variety of Duncan® glazes.

 

Plate #6 – Happy Birthday to Me
You guessed it! I made this one the week of my birthday. It’s a quote from the Beatles song, It’s All Too Much. I can’t say I have ever heard the song, but I sure do like the lyric! Thanks, George Harrison. That brings you up to speed! I look forward to sharing my next 46 plates with you. 

Until next time! 

Laura

Did you hear the news?

We have a new name!! Check out the press release we issued below to find out why and how exciting this news is for us (and hopefully you as well!!)

Duncan Enterprises, a privately-owned Fresno-based company will change its name and begin doing business as iLoveToCreate™, a Duncan Enterprises Company on July 25, 2009. Better known as Duncan Ceramics (aka - the colorful building on Clovis and Shields) within the Fresno community, the company has been a pillar of strength and stability throughout its 63-year history.

“Our business is strong and it will only continue to grow stronger,” said Larry R. Duncan, President & CEO and grandson of the founder. “We ended our fiscal year with double-digit growth over the previous year and our projections predict continued growth. Our team is absolutely dedicated to success; that dedication has allowed the company to remain family-owned and private for 63 years and counting!”

What began with one woman, Erma Duncan, wishing to share her passion of ceramic arts with others, has become an entire company of team members and associates, located domestically and in over 40 countries throughout the globe, all dedicated to sharing that love of creativity with the world. The company was founded in 1946 as Duncan® Ceramics and nine years later was officially incorporated as Duncan Ceramic Products, Inc. After 20 years, the company diversified in 1975 with entrance into the crafts industry and officially changed the company name to Duncan Enterprises. Since then, the company has experienced the launch of several organic proprietary brands, including Scribbles® and Crafty Chica™, and has experienced the acquisition of still more brands, including Tulip®, Aleene’s® and Rainbow Rock®.

“I believe that our new business name will support our continued growth and diversification while also allowing us to more distinctly promote our brands in the marketplace,” said Duncan. “Our overarching goal is to be the best in the world at developing proprietary new product lines that ignite consumers’ creativity and I am confident that this change will dramatically affect our ability to achieve success.”

iLoveToCreate™, a Duncan Enterprises company, is a privately-held, family-owned, Fresno, California based company that has been a leader in the ceramics arts and crafts industries since 1946. As a manufacturing, marketing, sourcing and distribution organization, iLoveToCreate™ maintains a solid reputation for excellence in product development, quality, education and health & safety. Not one to rest on its reputation, iLoveToCreate™ always strives to explore new avenues of creativity for its core brands, Duncan® Ceramic Arts, Tulip® Fashion Art, Aleene’s® Crafting Adhesives, Crafty Chica™ and ilovetocreate.com™.

www.ilovetocreate.com Crafty Roundup

This week there were a lot of great craft ideas and inspiration to be found not only on www.ilovetocreate.com, but also on some of our favorite blogs in the webosphere! Check them out!


On www.ilovetocreate.com, new projects are up, so hop on over and check them out!

– Favorite Flower Pillow using Tulip® One-Step Fashion Dyes™

– A Taste of Talavera Bracelet using Crafty Chica™ products

– Break of Dawn plate using the new Earth & Sky Crystal Glazes

– The Flavor of Creativity upcycled containers using Aleene's® Crystal Clear Tacky Glue™

Our favorite bloggers are also at it, whipping up some awesome inspiration!!


Jennifer Perkins of Naughty Secretary Club shares how to make Recycled Fabric Bangle Bracelets

Vickie Howell throws a baby bib making party using Tulip® products!

Kathy Cano-Murillo a.k.a. The Crafty Chica™ crafts up Oil-Cloth Jewelry Box Purses.

The Inspired at Home blog creates Grab & Go Gift Bags from small embellishments and Aleene's® Tacky Glue.

And here's some more flavorful inspiration and news to get your weekend started off right!


– Read all about how Tulip® Tie Dye kits were a big hit with kids at the Nickelodeon Kid's Choice awards from Fashion Girl.

– Make peace sign plates with Ceramic Diva!

– Learn why Barbie is all the rage at Jen's Trend Spot!

– Swelldesigner shares a glam graffiti earring project on her blog.

– Traci Bautista has a lot of fun online workshops! Now's your chance to get out your Collage Pauge™ and learn a new technique!

– At Express Your Creativity, learn how to make a sweet Butterfly mobile.

Check back here each Friday for more ideas and inspiration!

See you then!