Hand-painting porcelain is a passion for Evans woman
One of Faye Gray's painted porcelain works was featured in the November/December issue of The China Decorator magazine.
But the Evans resident doesn't let it go to her head. She just puts it in a portfolio with the others.
Gray, 75, often submits her work to the bimonthly magazine. Editors of the niche magazine have published photos of her work many times, including the September/October issue. One recent year, Gray's work was included in all six issues, she said.
The examples do not typically include instructions or articles with them.
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"I don't have time to write," Gray said. "But I love the painting. I love to do it."
Gray and her husband, Allie Gray Jr., live with their daughter, Leta, in Deerwood Acres. Gray said she is nearly homebound by her health, so she has lots of time to paint.
"It is a fine art," she said. "It was declared so by an act of Congress. This is not a hobby. It is a fine art. China painting is the hardest of oils, watercolors or any of them."
After seeing Gray's abilities painting flowers - especially roses, which are her favorite - wildlife and portraits, few would argue against the artistic nature of her work.
"I have roses all over the place," Gray said. "I can paint them better than I grow them."
She will paint on anything porcelain from vases, plates and platters to lamp bases and shades, boxes and clocks. She has a large file to store pictures of lots of things in case one day she may want to paint them.
Gray said she always has three or four pieces in progress because she refuses to fire up one of her three kilns for one piece. The paint - mixed from powder with mineral oil - is applied on top of the porcelain's glaze. When fired, the paint soaks into the glaze and bonds with it.
When Gray finds a piece she is not pleased with in the heavily adorned living room that houses much of her work, she simply adds more paint and refires it.
Many of Gray's meticulously painted pieces are given to her three children.
Pulling out her palettes, drawing the images and painting them is a painstaking process that Gray considers therapy.
"It's a gift," Gray said. "I pray before every time I paint. Without that help, I couldn't do it."