The photo challenge was An Egg. Here's a part of my egg collection... I couldn't figure out which one I liked best, and didn't want to spend any more time setting this shot up. Too busy.
I try not to talk about my collections. It can lead to presents which can quickly escalate things. For instance my stuffed bear collection is completely out of control and now only comes out at Christmas. I started collecting rock eggs many years ago because I would go to rock shows and love the rocks, but really couldn't afford good samples so I'd buy a lovely rock egg for a couple of bucks. One egg led to another... and now it only comes out in the spring except for a couple of the larger pieces like that blue Celestine egg. When mom found out about my collection she gave me that beautiful hand painted yellow egg, it's ceramic and I think her mother painted it, it's only visible in the bottom photo.
Along with the big Celestine egg, you can see the solid copper (seriously the metal copper) one underneath it, and a picture jasper on the right and still further right a small one painted by my grandmother Maureen (unfired).
In this shot starting from the right is a gray and white Howlite egg, then a white quartz, a black and white marble, a hidden orange painted by my grandmother Maureen, a carved/painted rock and another painted one. These last two painted/carved are Africa inspired and came from Zoo/Wildlife park gift shops. You can see that I don't own a lot of stands. Instead I use rings and bracelets to prevent the rocks from jumping off the mantle.
This photo has the edge of a painted African inspired rock a somewhat clear cherry quartz (I love the cloudy inclusions), a straight up white quartz, a maroon agate and the painted egg that may or may not have been painted by grandmother Maureen.
On my Facebook we (my cousin and I) had a great conversation about who may have painted the egg.
LaRae: "Great Aunt Anna Kelling is the one that made and painted and fired the egg and the stand. I have some matching ones that Emily (Memo) gave me as well. Anna made and shared a lot and was magnificently talented!!"
I wrote: "Once upon a time Maureen (my grandmother) lived with Anna in California and took up painting ceramics, which is why I'm confused about this one. I think Anna signed hers. I have other of her pieces. I'm glad to know that you have some matching pieces. I think the time they lived together was one of great productivity for both of them. Many of Maureen's later pieces were unfired because she no longer lived with Anna and her resources."
LaRae "I did visit her a few times in California when I also lived there & I got to see her amazing workshop. ... I just looked on the bottom of my dolls and the egg stands and they all say AK but there was no place to sign on the eggs so none of my eggs have her initials. I’m glad to know that Aunt Maureen was also painting with her!❤️❤️❤️"
She then posted the eggs from her collection. And while they aren't duplicates the style is similar. So now I'm not certain whether my Grandmother or my Great Aunt painted it. Either way, it's beautiful, a part of my family and now part of my egg collection.
I may not have spent much time taking photos, but I did take a bit of time writing this post. Oh and this isn't the whole collection.
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