Artist Brooke Andrews is one of are few artists who create pins and each includes a story card making them very special. Read on about Brooke’s very particular process… each piece begins with a vision, spontaneously toying with her imagination, until it feels “ripened.” Then she sketches the image directly onto porcelain clay, using techniques in the tradition of bas relief carving. The final design rises out of the porcelain “canvas” after many hours of coaxing, gently carving away the layers of “negative space” – what the design is not. Once the design is developed, the original piece is bisque fired. Clay hand press molds are created from the “mother piece,” and kiln fired. The “children” or actual product pieces are hand pressed into the molds using white or color-stained porcelain clay, then bisque fired. Next, color stains are applied, dried, and wiped down to reveal the detail of the relief carving. Underglazes provide highlights. The second kiln firing fixes this layer of color. Finally, an over glaze, containing 11% gold by weight, is carefully painted around the edge to frame each piece and to accent designs such as the Fireflies and Iris. The third and final firing brings the images to life, wonderful art to wear!