Just Desserts

I wanted to create something rich and delicious for an exhibition at West Ox Arts called 'Food'. I was thinking about the highlight of being invited to dinner at an Oxford college, in my opinion: after the three or four courses comes an optional course - 'dessert'. Taken in a candlelit panelled room, with port, dessert wines, cheeses, fruit, nuts and little chocolates...and of course, mellow and free-flowing conversation.

Clearly, this was going to take some researching, but the nuts and crackers were just for drawing, as I never eat in the studio, given how poisonous my medieval materials are.
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Slowly, the design developed, and I needed to observe the effect of candlelight on the glass decanter.
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I tested three different ways of painting the little coffee cup.

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It was all starting to come together, although it is hard to judge the overall effect until the painted pieces are fired in the kiln.
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The pieces were painted, fired, leaded, cemented and ready to go. I aimed to continue the line of the lead in the suggested edge of the table behind the decanter and the candlestick. I blacked the leads with grate polish to give them a glossy dark finish.

Then it seemed a shame not to make a 'baby' dessert to go with it: just coffee, port, cheese and grapes. Very civilised.​

Both panels will be on display at West Ox Arts from 25 August to 17 December and are for sale at £325 and £125.