Painting on Cliiiia.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 15, 12 October 1907, Page 7

Painting on Cliiiia.

AN INTERESTING EXHIBIT.. , An attractive feature of tho Annual Exhibition of the . Academy ..of. Fiuo. Arts,, which, will bo opened;,this, afternoon, is'-an exhibit of painting on china, shown by Miss;E. Baird-Luxton < of (Jhristchurch.Landscapes, and flowers, in the most natural .colours, and of a delicate artistic oharm, fortn the decoration' of a. number of chinavases and other; :vessels.\ Mis 3 liatrdLuxton was iii ; Wdlliiigtoii on day, and a . of -the Dominion* obtained from-her -an'interesting . description -of hoi', process.- Although it is .quito an infant-art inNow Zealand, ■ china-painting has! already bccomo the hobby of a fair number of' enthusiastic' laaios, ; .aiid 'lidt'V few men. : ;■„V The china used, it was; explained by Miss Baird-Luxton;: is mado of; ICaolin; or China clay,' ancl' ; also of -.-i-whiter-felspar known as petiintso'; wliioh melta nioro easily than Kaolin. This "artist imports ail her- phina from; France, wheyo- it is produced. ;of ii . veryfine, quality and with a'i. specially, hrttd. glaze.. The design is sketched upon tho china vase with a special lithographicink pencil, and in. applying tho oil colours, tho : light slia.des ate jiut' in first, Which is' the;;-opposite from that employed in oil phinting oh: canvas. The pigments aro imported in powder form, and mixed with oil- by the artist. ;They- hre';a!pplied with brushes, and dabbed afterwards >yith a brush pad, or finger; to roinoyc all streaks. Throughout this painting process the artist iiliist rbhieralior tliat most colours are! changed by.'firing. Gold, for example, is t'rahsformod- into a (lull ochre colour, and has to bo burnished afterwdrds ' with ' blbbtlstones, agates, and brushes-'mado of "fine glass fibres till it looks' very -brilliaiit. An* other troublo is that difforont 'colours' fire at different ■ hoats.-),,' r - ; L .A special furnace is used, for the firing, and usually this'process is repeated nioro than once, further'details being introduced each time into tho colouring.. Th<;.',proccss of firing occupies four or five' and soivon or eight hours nioro aro. required-for, cooling. Uliss Baird-liiuton,- who is- a : vory capable, artist also on ..caiivas, finds tho new art fascinating 'in, tho oxtremo.