DANVILLE — For about six years now, four women have met weekly at the home of Carryl Fox in Danville, where they spend six hours or more on their favorite pastime — painting on porcelain (china).

These special gatherings are not only their social time, but also their time to create some very beautiful and personal gifts for friends and family.

Besides Fox, the talented group of painters includes Eva Buchanan of Danville, Eileen Layden of Hoopeston, and Jane Spencer of Veedersburg, Ind.

These women miss a painting session only if they’re sick or if they winter in Florida that particular year. Some of the women have painted on china considerably longer than 20 years, and they all took classes on this ancient art at the home of Grace Patton, who has since moved away.

All of them also enjoy other painting media, including acrylics, water colors, and oils. “Once you start to paint in any form, then you view things differently than you did before,” Fox said.

“We consider our painting day our therapy day,” Buchanan said. “There’s never a lull in our conversation.”

Painting on china involves applying multiple layers of special paints to a piece of previously glazed porcelain to form a visual design. After each layer is painted, the piece is fired in a medium-temperature kiln to make the paint permanent The result of these multiple painting and firing steps is rich, permanent decoration on the piece.

Decorative china painting is done with a paint base of finely ground minerals mixed with oil.

The final layers on a piece of painted china may be enhanced with real gold or silver, which are hard-fired onto the surface. Applied techniques such as adding enamel decorations can enhance the beauty of the piece.

Fox is the unofficial leader of the group and has branched out by using various media for her china painting. She even fuses chunks of colorful glass onto pendants for necklaces.

“Sometimes I make myself a piece of jewelry out of necessity, if I need something quickly to match a particular outfit,” Fox said.

Fox orders the plain porcelain china pieces in quantities, so the women have to agree on their upcoming projects. Porcelain china is made from highly-refined white clay that is fired in a kiln at a high temperature, which gives it an almost transparent look. The result is a delicate looking, but hardy piece of ware that’s usable for many purposes.

The large kiln used by all the artists in the group is set up at Fox’s home. After a full day of painting, the women leave their china pieces firing in the oven. Fox removes them later that evening.

The artists fire each of their pieces a minimum of three times. “Firing is what gives a painted piece its depth and highlights,” Fox said. This process also can bring out the imperfections in a piece if the painter makes a mistake. If the paint is put on too thick, for example, it will literally pop off the china when fired.

“If there’s a flaw in the china the piece can break in the kiln, and you won't know that until you take it out about five hours later, after it's cooled,” Fox said.

“When I open up the kiln at the end of a day, I just pray that none of the pieces are broken.”

The images on the china can be painted free-hand or traced from an outline, and decals are also available.

Most people start by painting flowers and often begin with forget-me-nots, which are simple little flowers. Roses are another popular flower to paint on china.

“We get our ideas from magazines, greeting cards, Christmas cards, and even patterned wallpaper,” Spencer said. However, they aren’t allowed to copy an image exactly. “We have to change at least three elements in the picture before we can call it our own,” she added.

“The beauty of painting on porcelain is that no design is permanent until the item is fired,” Fox said. “If you make a mistake, you can wipe the paint off with a silk cloth and start over again.”

Layden feels that a person has to love china painting to have the patience for that intricate hobby. Also, it’s an art form that can get expensive, depending on the quality of the china and the number of paints and brushes used.

“It can mean a substantial investment when it’s all said and done,” she said.

“We paint on just about any type of fine porcelain — from plates to bowls to ornaments and tiles,” Layden said. Some of the items that the women have used include lamp shades, night lights, salt and pepper shakers, clocks, vases, watches, Christmas ornaments, Easter eggs, tiles, and pendants that are worn as jewelry.

These artists use dozens of brushes in different sizes and shapes. When painting with gold it’s especially important to use a clean brush, or the gold color will turn black when it’s fired.

The women agreed that their homes have turned into showcases for their porcelain pieces, and their children and grandchildren also have been blessed with the painted wares that have been “gifted” to them.

Fox’s grandchildren have 37 hand-painted Easter eggs, and she makes dozens of decorative Christmas ornaments every year for her family and friends. She also has created tea sets and pitchers for wedding gifts and showers.

These women are all members of the World Organization of China Painters, and they have attended conferences and seminars in a variety of states to learn more about the art. Some of them are acquainted with china painters from other countries.

The women don’t eat off their china plates, but they do use them for dry food items such as cookies, and also as decorative pieces.

“It’s a good idea to put a clear plastic plate or doily on a painted china paint before putting food on it,” Layden said. “Good china that is used for dining is painted before the initial glazing.”

The four women also don’t make a habit of selling their painted items. They agreed that they would have to charge too much to repay themselves for the supplies and time that go into their creations. Fox, however, donates some pieces to her church bazaar every year.

Spencer said, “Most of the items that I make I would just as soon keep for myself.”

Once the porcelain piece is completed it becomes a permanent work of art. Barring accident or disaster, it will be around much longer than the artist who created it.