Porcelain artist Maria King is opening the doors to her rural studio and garden this weekend, inviting the public to experience a rare and traditional art form in an intimate, creative setting.

The two-day Open Studio event held tomorrow and Sunday, will showcase King’s intricate porcelain painting alongside garden art by guest artist Robyn Watchorn, quilts by Caroline Stewart, and striking mask paintings on aluminium by Jenny Jones.

The exhibition will also serve as a fundraiser for Heart Kids New Zealand.

For King, the weekend is about more than displaying finished works – it is about sharing knowledge and keeping a heritage art alive.

“Open Studio gives people the opportunity to come into my studio, see the artwork I do and see the process,” she said.

“Hopefully it inspires other people to become interested, because it is quite a dying art and I always encourage people to learn.”

King is generous with her skills, having taught porcelain painting for years.

“I really enjoy teaching and I can teach anyone,” she said.

“I’ve had students who said they had never drawn or painted in their life, and I say that’s fine. The work they end up doing is amazing; they surprise themselves.”

Her studio is filled with delicately painted porcelain pieces, and houses two kilns where works are fired at temperatures of 800 degrees Celsius and above.

Though King favours traditional subjects such as florals and landscapes, she has also been exploring more contemporary styles.

“This year, I’ve done quite a few abstract pieces,” she said.

“I also did a theme inspired by Clarice Cliff. She was before her time, working in English porcelain factories in the 1920s with these bold, way-out designs.”

Clarice Cliff (1899-1972) revolutionised British ceramics with her vibrant colours and geometric patterns, famously using surplus porcelain to create her now highly collectible “Bizarre” ware.

King continues to refine her craft through international study, painting with some of the world’s most respected porcelain artists.

Last year, she travelled to the United Kingdom to learn raised paste techniques – a largely lost tradition – with Sylvia Beythoun, and also worked with renowned American porcelain artist Amaryllis Milly.

In 2024, she attended the Sydney All Fired Up Expo, completing a three-day seminar with Swiss porcelain artist Clotilde Ruegg.

A lotus flower vase she created there, featuring a mother-of-pearl background and raised paste texture, will be on display this weekend.

“This year the expo is in South Australia, and I’ll be one of two New Zealand tutors there,” King said.

She is also heading to Italy to study with Italian porcelain artist Luisa Maderna.

Porcelain painting has ancient roots, originating in China in the 7th century, with distinct styles developing in different countries over time.

You can paint any design onto blank porcelain, she said.

“It’s how dinner sets used to be made before decals replaced hand-painting.”

Unlike ceramic painting, porcelain is less porous and requires a meticulous, layered process.

“You build layers of pigment mixed with a medium, and everything is fired,” she said.

“It can take two or three firings, sometimes eight or nine, to finish a piece. It’s a long process, so I usually have two or three works on the go.”

King is a member of Tauranga Porcelain Artists, a club that now has about 15 members, down from 60 to 70 in the 1980s.

“It’s a lovely, sociable art form,” she said.

“My painting buddies range from 102 years old down to me, the youngest. I can guarantee you’ll live a long time.”

The other artists exhibiting this weekend are also club members.

“And we are concentrating on upscaling and recycling,” said Watchorn, with Stewart adding they enjoy scouring op shops in search of porcelain.

Stewart, who has been quilting for 40 years and belongs to East Bay Quilters, will display art quilts on the studio deck.

“I’ve moved into art quilts, smaller pieces with painting, dyeing and surface stitching,” she said.

“I also oil paint and do China painting.”

Watchorn’s weather-resistant oil paintings featuring birds and animals on aluminium will be displayed throughout the garden, while Jones’ painted masks add another layer of interest.

Visitors can also enjoy a Devonshire tea, with proceeds going to Heart Kids NZ, and wander through the garden accompanied by background music.

The venue is easily accessible, with flat walking areas, seating throughout, bathroom facilities on site, and eftpos available.