HARRISONBURG, VA- 24 Feb. 2020. OASIS Fine Art & Craft prepares for its new event- Oils on Porcelain Canvas. This event is open to the community and to artists around Harrisonburg, Virginia. OASIS Fine Art & Craft members, hosts of the event, shine a light on the ancient art form of porcelain.

 

Porcelain is a prestigious visual art with more than a century of history. Porcelain, commonly known as china, is derived from soil found in the country of China from which it gains its name. Porcelain is described as a delicately crafted ceramic material that is pure white and translucent.

 

 “The art form [porcelain] isn’t respected as it used to be; you could go to an antique store and see beautiful china sitting on a shelf,” Virginia Hickey, a porcelain artist, said.

 

Painting porcelain is an intricate process. There’s more to it than meets the eye. When looking at flower-painted china set in an antique store, customers do not know the difficulties that go into creating beautiful pieces.

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Hickey has been painting for years. Her work consists of using three mediums: oils, watercolor and porcelain. Hickey is a member of the Richmond and Virginia Porcelain Artists organizations.

 

The process includes using a kiln fired at heat reaching 2500 degrees Fahrenheit to set the paint on the porcelain. This process takes hours to complete, but the finish creation is remarkable.

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“Due to changes in lifestyles, people are not invested in porcelain art, so it's now a beautiful but rare art form,” Hickey said.

 

Hickey predicts porcelain will make a comeback, and the Oils on Porcelain Canvas event can be the start of that comeback. OASIS members hope the community can come out to learn more about porcelain art.

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Hickey and other porcelain artists showcase their artwork at OASIS, in a judged contest. Virginia porcelain artists and attendees determine the winner out of the 30 to 40 entries. Each hour of the event, select artists demonstrate how oil-painting or jewelry-making with porcelain is done.

 

“My hopes for this event are to motivate and empower women to say, ‘Hey! That's something I would like to do’,” Hickey said.

 

OASIS Fine Art & Craft members invite the Harrisonburg community to enjoy an afternoon filled with activities and unique porcelain art. Meet porcelain artists and learn more about this beautiful rare art form.

 

Register on OASIS Fine Art & Craft Facebook page at oasisfineartandcraft to participate in demonstrations throughout the event.

 

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About OASIS Fine Art & Craft

OASIS is a nonprofit co-op run by members. For almost 20 years, OASIS has exhibited 40 Shenandoah Valley area artists and artisans. Open seven days a week, OASIS is located in the heart of Harrisonburg, Virginia. For more information, call OASIS at 540-442-8188 or visit their website at www.oasisfineartandcraft.com. Stay up-to-date with their daily activities on Instagram and Facebook at oasisfineartandcraft.