ABOUT KITTY KELLER
KITTY KELLER, ARTIST & FOUNDER
Having known from day one that I am an artist and set on that path early by parents who encouraged me with supplies and lessons and the words, “Make a mess, ” I entered The University of Texas at Austin where I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with a minor in Art History. Immersion in that turpentine infused air at the University filled me with wonder and excitement imagining a life spent in the pursuit of art and so far, I have done just that. Early on one of my teachers proclaimed that I should change my major, I didn’t. This comment continues to remind me that I could have made another decision and have been set on a different path. Much like the poem by Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken, I looked down one road as far as I could until it bent in the undergrowth and choose the one that was grassy and wanted wear, the path of the artist It helped me greatly to have grown up in a family of entrepreneurs who had created businesses and did not hear the word no lightly I was surrounded by sales minded people who could sell anything and did, funerals, and weddings not-withstanding.
Paint-spattered days started it all in 1987 as I hand-painted dozens of T shirts daily with Texas wildflowers. My first customer was called Something Different in Fredericksburg, Texas. My Mother, Betsy and I hand delivered the T shirt order and managed to squeeze in a lovely lady’s lunch at the Peach Tree Restaurant. Leaving just in time to pick up our daughters from school, my mother and I returned home to Seguin that day receiving a call that the entire order of shirts had sold out in a few hours, thus starting my hand-painted T shirt business in earnest.Four years and so much paint flinging later, I decided to find a silkscreener We still sell our T-shirts, but walking through doors as they opened, I have added Cloisonne and Glass ornaments, custom tea towels, as well as archival giclee prints of my artwork to our offerings
So much has filled the intervening years including retail and wholesale markets all over the country such as The PGA Merchandise Show in Florida, those two little daughters growing up and coming into the business with me, trips to China with our daughter Maggie to find our suppliers, and visits with our customers all over the country Such fun and challenges we have had, but never giving up even when the challenges made things hard, believing that problems make you rethink and come up with better solutions Hard times more than smooth are what make a business strong.
I celebrate the journey that I am still on and look forward to great challenges ahead and by the way, thank you for coming along for the ride.
- Kitty Keller
COPPER BASE
Each ornament starts with the copper shape. These are hammered and formed to create the desired shape Copper is used because it is easily hammered and stretched. The two copper halves are soldered together
DESIGN CREATED
CLOISONNE
The design is initially drawn on a copper ball. The copper wires, and bundles of 20, are formed and shaped into the design on the ornament After the wires are shaped, they are placed onto the copper ball and soldered The wires create small compartments called “cloisons.”
CLOISONS PAINTED AND FIRED
After the cloisons are created, they are filled with paint. The paint is colored glass paste (or enamel). The glass paste is used to fill the cloisons The paste is colored with metallic oxide and mixed to match PMS colors. The ornament is fired at about 800°C in an actual fire. The enamel can sometimes shrink, so the painting/firing process might have to be repeated
FINISHED
After the cloisons are filled and the design is complete, the ornament is polished. This makes the surface very smooth. The final step is 24k gold electroplating This makes the wires gold and the enamel paint have a very eye-catching surface.
THE PROCESS OF CLOISONNÉ
Our cloisonne ornaments are handcrafted with care and attention to detail by highly skilled artisans. These ornaments are one-of-akind treasures that your customers will love.
CLOISONNÉ PROCESS
The creation of these remarkable ornaments involves a refined technique known as cloisonné This intricate process starts with the formation of a metal base, which serves as the canvas for the ornament.
Delicate metal strips are then meticulously placed to create small compartments, or cloisons, that will contain the vibrant enamel colors.
The wires are soldered to the metal base or the blank canvas Layer by layer, each cloison is filled with enamel paint and fired at high temperatures.
The final step involve the ornaments being cooled, polished and plated in 24k gold. This results in ornaments that radiate a sense of timeless beauty and craftsmanship.
START TO FINISH
ORNAMENT IS DESIGNED
Hand-painted glass ornaments are created using original artwork created by Kitty Keller Every design is made with your wants and needs in mind.
HAND-PAINTED
SKETCH THE DESIGN
Each ornament is hand-painted on the inside of the glass ball, a process that originated in China in the 1600s. The art of hand-painting the inside of the glass objects began centuries ago in high-end “snuff bottles”, used to store chewing tobacco
GLASS
THE PROCESS OF HAND-PAINTED GLASS
ANDBLOWN & PAINTED
e ornaments are made from handblown glass, ating a clear glass ornament. The artisan nts a sketch of the design, using a fine-tip sh The complete design pattern is outlined de the ball. The artisan then fills in the sketch h colors as indicated on the design The last p is to fill in the solid background color.
FINISHED
The finished product is a one-of-a-kind piece of art, no two being exactly alike. Each hand-painted glass ornament has a high-quality silk ribbon included Each ornament also comes with a silk covered keepsake box to ensure the ornament will last a lifetime.
Our glass ornaments are handcrafted with care and attention to detail, making them one-of-akind treasures that you and your customers will love. THEHAND-PAINTEDGLASS ORNAMENTSCANFEATURE GREATERDESIGNINTRICACY COMPAREDTOTHE CLOISONNÉORNAMENTS
NEXT STEPS - ORDER NOW
2.
1. What design elements do you wish to include in your custom design? Logo, Text, Icons, Pictures, PMS Colors, Style Guide (if available)
3.
Decide on the purpose of the ornament: Celebration, Anniversary, Destination, Corporate, Wedding, City Themed, College/School
Do you have design limitations OR essential features we should be aware of? Example: We can’t use our logo with Christmas-themed elements, cannot break up elements of the logo, cannot change the font of the logo, etc. Keep in mind wording on the Cloisonné ornaments are extremely limited.
4.
Please select 2 favorite design examples from pages 10-18 (this document) to guide our design process.
Once we have gathered all the details, including your design preferences, logo files, and PMS colors, we will proceed with creating your ornament design.
6.
5. We will provide you with an initial first draft of the ornament design. When providing changes, please be as specific as possible. Please note that there is a limit of 2 revisions for each design.
Each ornament combines Kitty's artistry with the cloisonné and glass artisan's skill, ensuring uniqueness with every creation. Crafted individually, without templates or machinery, these pieces maintain their distinctiveness, guaranteeing that no two orders will ever be exactly the same.
LOGISTICS
Wholesale stands for multiple ornaments and single ornament acrylic stands are available
Once you approve the design, you can place your orders for ASAP shipping with either an estimated date or a specific date. Due to the complexities of international importing, Kitty Keller Designs can’t guarantee most ship dates.
C U S T O M T E A T O W E L S
Add a unique touch to your custom gifts with Kitty Keller Designs!
Complete your selection with our beautifully crafted Cloisonné or Glass Ornaments and custom Tea Towels.
C U S T O M D E S I G N E D E X A M P L E S
Dimensions of tea towel: 27”x27”
Folded dimensions: 9”x13”
Max Printable Area: 8”x11”
