Care — Carmen Ellis Studio

To retain the quality of your piece and ensure longevity, hand washing with a nonabrasive cloth or sponge in warm soapy water is recommended to remove any scuffing.

For any additional stubborn marks, sanding with a fine grain sandpaper usually does the trick. We recommend starting with a 400 to 220-grit paper. Sand in small gentle circles until the mark is gone.

If you have purchased a Foot Vessel, take special care while cleaning to avoid knocking the feet, as they are particularly delicate.

The unfinished exterior of our unglazed ceramic vessels gives a refined matte finish that accentuates the delicate details of each piece. This also means that dust and dirt are not readily wiped off. During the planting process, please take care to avoid soil or debris contacting the exterior of your piece. We recommend wrapping your piece in a paper or plastic bag while planting to ensure that the outside of the vessel is protected from getting dirty. If you do notice any smudges, refer to the "Ceramic" section above for instructions on how to clean your vessel.

Please also note that our vessels have been designed without a drainage hole to allow for indoor use. Stones are provided to aid with drainage if used as a planter. Place these stones at the bottom of the vessel before adding soil.

BRONZE CARE:

Due to the high copper content of bronze, unlacquered bronze will naturally oxidize and the patina colors will change over time. Natural oils from your hands, sunlight, pollution, moisture, and even time itself will cause changes in the color of the bronze.

We offer lacquering of our bronze pieces, which seals them with a clear coating, preventing the color changes encountered with unlacquered bronze.