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KERAMIC STUDIO 
PANSY PLATE— MAY E. REYNOLDS 
MAY E. REYNOLDS ------ p AGE Editor 
116 Auditorium Building, Chicago, III. 
PANSY PLATE 
FIRST Fire— Outline the flowers in outlining ink. The 
design is outlined in Paris Brown, and the lines and bands 
are also in Paris Brown. Paint pansies in Violet, and a touch 
of Best Black, Yellow Brown in centers, the light pansies are 
in Lemon Yellow, Albert Yellow, Violet of Iron, and Best 
Black in centers. Leaves in Empire Green with a touch of 
Violet, lay in background of the flowers in Green Gold. 
Second Fire — Dust on the tint over the design with 
Lavender Glaze using the Special Tinting Oil to dust it on. 
Pansies are retouched with same colors used in first fire, put 
on Green Gold in background of flowers. This design can 
also be done in enamels. 
I AM writing to everyone urging them to subscribe for the 
magazine if they are not already subscribers, as I think that 
such an earnest effort as the magazine is making to keep paint- 
ers interested in the work, the manner in which you are going 
conscientiously on, and even getting out each month a finer 
and more interesting Keramic Studio, should be appreciated, 
especially in view of the present conditions and times. All 
should join with you in making this year, the season of 1917, 
the greatest year in the history of china painting. I think 
that such a thing could easily be done, as with added stimulus, 
the very fact that china is not so plentiful as formerly should 
add new zeal, and a desire to overcome obstacles. If each indi- 
vidual china painter should make up her mind resolutely to do 
better, and more work, and to interest more pupils in her neigh- 
borhood, this could easily be accomplished, When everything 
is too plentiful, and times are too prosperous it leads to a certain 
apathy, and people do not make that strenous effort to accom- 
plish big things, so that the very fact that there is an obstacle to 
overcome should be the slogan for new and renewed effort, which 
would, if all the decorators pull together, make the year 1917 a 
record year in this work. I know this has already been accom- 
plished by a number of music teachers who have joined their 
forces and in several cases incorporated here in Chicago, and 
are having bigger classes than in the past and will succeed, indeed 
have already, in interesting more students to take up the work. 
Music is very closely allied to painting, and the two go hand in 
hand so that decorators if they band together can accomplish 
the same results. Now that many say times are not so good 
there is more reason for young women, and older women too for 
that matter, people who will be left to support themselves, to 
look to it that they learn something practical like the decora- 
tion of china which, while homes exist, will always be an every 
day necessity, and a commodity that being breakable and 
fragile neebs constantly to be replaced. There is no more 
sensible, useful, or necessary study that any woman can take 
up than the decoration of china, nor one which she can pursue 
more pleasantly and profitably than china painting. There 
is more room in the country for good painters than ever before, 
and all we need are earnest workers who will strive to do the 
best work that is in them. Never before has decoration not 
only of china and pottery, but textiles, etc., been so appreciated, 
and in fact if we look around us we will find that this is the age 
of decoration, and that foremost in demand and profit, on 
account of its general constant use, is china painting. 
The musicians here incorporated companies so that several 
teachers could pay the rent of one studio, and in this way cut 
down expenses, then they have a central office in the same build- 
ing where they have a secretary, and advertising force who are 
constantly looking up new students; one office of this sort is 
supported by probably twenty or more music teachers; in this 
way they all have more pupils and their expenses are not as 
much as formerly, in fact they are doing better than ever before. 
You see by all making a strenous effort what is possible to be 
done; the china painters in every city could band together and 
do the same, or at least have meetings so that they could buy 
china in partnership, and by buying in larger quantity could 
probably get a better rate, and by getting up exhibits and dis- 
plays of china, create interest in good work, also by having 
bazars where the china could be sold they would find a ready sale 
if the matter were taken up seriously. 
