In 2012, the mother of a child named Henry who was believed to be terminally ill, paid a visit to The Art Place Studio. Owner and ceramic artist Vanessa Steele created the concept of tracing his hand prints into stoneware clay. She sculpted them into a bowl, kiln fired the piece, glazed and stamped it with his name and the year as a meaningful bereavement treasure that would last forever. Thankfully, Henry survived his illness and is thriving today, as is Steele’s handprint bowl business.
“The hand print bowls are completely customized,” Steele said. “They make wonderful gifts for everyone, whether siblings, babies or children’s hands for a parent or grandparent, mothers or fathers prints for a son or daughter or a student making one for a teacher. I am super sentimental, so I love making heirloom pieces of art that will be passed down from generation to generation. We can create anything and everything you can think of.”
For convenience and to accommodate customers no matter where they are located, Steele said she accepts photographs of handprints by email at [email protected], which she uses to personalize each piece before shipping the individual bowls all over the world.
To learn more about creating your own hand print bowls as a unique gift this holiday season and all year round, visit theartplacestudio.com or call stop by the studio at 1313 Long Grove Drive.
By Sarah Rose
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