QUESTIONS FROM OUR WEBSITE
Keeeping
Shelf-Sitters Sit-uated!”
Dear CAS Collectors:
HELP!! For
years, I’ve wondered if my CAS shelf-sitters are really safe
just sitting, unattached to anything, on the edge of a shelf. Guess what: THEY’RE
NOT! I came home yesterday to find the body of my CAS “Cowboy” at one spot
on the floor, his head at another. Evidently, a gusty breeze from a nearby
window had sent him flying!
For future reference,
what can I do to make sure other sitters (for instance, his “Cowgirl”
companion), don’t share a similar fate?
I. Brokim
Well first off, you may want to display your breakables away
from open windows, but you’ve probably figured that out already. More specific
breakage-reducing hints come courtesy of our book Ceramic Arts Studio: The
Legacy of Betty Harrington:
“Day-to-day
vibrations of a house can cause pieces to move around on a surface. These
movements can be so minor from one day to the next that they’re not noticed
until a piece has moved to a spot where it’s soon likely to fall off. Ceramic
Arts Studio shelf-sitters are particularly susceptible to this brand of
disaster. If feasible, a peg, nail, or screw can be fastened to the surface,
and the figurine placed over it. This stops toward-the-edge movement dead in
its tracks. For surfaces where a peg is not an option, “tacky wax” is an
effective alternative. Sold under a variety of brand names in shops that carry decorative
collectibles, the adhesive wax works well in bonding the figurine to the
desired surface (it’s also useful in keeping CAS “snuggle set” components
safely snuggled). Several dabs, and it’s firmly in place. An added advantage of
wax usage is that, once set, the object can be gently dusted in place, with a
feather duster, rather than moved each time cleaning is called for. A steadying
hand while dusting provides added security. However, if the object is to be
moved frequently for cleaning, re-application of the wax is usually necessary.
And, for removing unwanted tacky wax from a figurine or surface, (or hands),
“Goo Gone” is the quick and easy answer.”
We hope ghis keeps your Cowgirl and
her pals sittin’ pretty got many years to come.
Thanks for writing!
And with that, the drawstrings are pulled tight on this
issue’s “CAS Mailbag.” For answers to your CAS-related questions, just send
them to Donald-Brian Johnson’s attention at: donaldbrian@msn.com. Hopefully, he
may even be able to come up with the correct solutions!