DAPHNE, Ala. — Visitors at the Daphne Public Library can see all the key members of King Arthur’s legendary court.

Daphne artist Elliot Gilmore hand-painted a set of ceramic chess figures in the likenesses of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, the noble knights and brave horses. Each ceramic portrait stands about 8 inches high and sits on a handmade board — and the set can be yours, as Gilmore has donated it to the library.

A Friends of the Daphne Public Library raffle at the annual Fall into Reading Celebration — to be held 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Daphne Recreation Center — will determine the winner. Proceeds from raffle ticket sales will benefit the library’s Teen Advisory Board, Louise Youngblood, young adult librarian, said.

“Anything generated during the night of the Fall into Reading Celebration goes to the young-adult area (of the library),” she said.

“It is the one effort that the teens are (primarily) involved in,” she said of the event. “They help with the decorations, they help with the games, they help with the planning of the event. Because of their efforts, they benefit from whatever comes of that."

The public can see the chess set on display, before choosing to take a gamble on a ticket. 

“People are welcome to come and look at it, just get the actual feel for it,” she said. “It's quite large; it would sit on a pretty good-sized coffee table.”

About the artist

For more than 30 years, during his demanding careers with the Air Force and Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Gilmore found that painting always relaxed him. Now retired, he can spend more time creating the labor-intensive chess sets.

He starts with pre-made molds into which he pours clay slip that can take up to a week to harden. The figures then are kiln-fired, and Gilmore uses acrylic paints to craft new portraits and scenes. The hollow pieces are glazed, filled with salt for weight and cushioned with felt pads for quiet chess moves. Gilmore makes some of the boards himself; occasionally, he commissions a woodworker. The whole process can take up to four months to complete.

Each set is unique, and he said he’s always planning more. Many are made as personal gifts for friends and family.

One of his favorites, which he calls “The Ultimate Iron Bowl,” is a set of famous figures from an Alabama vs. Auburn game. In another of his favorites — designed for a Massachusetts friend who loves football — Gilmore painted colorful clay figures with the likenesses of historic players in a game of the New England Patriots vs. the Baltimore Colts. The football set has a stadium-shaped board.

The most prized set in Gilmore’s personal collection, however, is called, “Oceanside,” which features a scene of sea captain kings, mermaid queens, lighthouse rooks and dolphin pawns. This was created for his childhood sweetheart and wife of 48 years, Joyce, who loves the sea.

From many years ago in his home state of Massachusetts when Gilmore started painting, through his careers as an Air Force senior master sergeant and later the area director for the states of Arizona and Nevada, as well as working in mine safety for OSHA, Gilmore kept painting to relieve stress and bring him and his friends enjoyment.

His favorite part of the ceramic process is painting the figures; this, he said, is when he can focus on detail and creativity. To meet Gilmore’s high standards, he often repaints his pieces several times.

Gilmore has an extensive collection of complete chess set molds in different heights, some of which are the only remaining copies from discontinued lines.

His “Alice in Wonderland” set is his daughter’s favorite. The “Mystical” set of wizards and witches would charm any Harry Potter fan. The “Cowboys and Indians” and the “Farm Animal” sets are popular with his four grandsons and one great-grandson. The “Hollywood Silent Film Star” set is glamorous. The “Civil War” series is dignified and creates an appropriate setting for a competitive chess game.

On their many trips around the U.S. to visit their children and grandchildren, Elliot and Joyce are always on the lookout for imaginative new chess set molds, they said. Joyce photographs the sets — for records — once they are painted.

Gilmore said he is branching out to paint clay nativity figures and other scenes. He is currently working on a surprise project for a local high school.

Interestingly, his love of crafting chess sets doesn’t translate to a player’s skill.

“I play chess rather poorly,” he said. “My grandson could even beat me when he was 7 years old. I just love the pleasure of painting and seeing other people enjoy them.”

Gilmore does not take orders or commissions. The pressure of a time limit, he said, kills his artistic enjoyment of the process.

However, he does sell completed sets occasionally, if they are not earmarked as a present to a family member.

Fall into Reading

This year’s Fall into Reading Celebration is sponsored by the library’s teen board, Friends of the Daphne Public Library, Bay Rivers Art Guild and Alabama Art-4-Us License Tag Committee.

In addition to the chess set, other items up for grabs include silent-auction works by some of the guild’s artists; a handmade purse by Suzanne Funderburk; a hand-carved hummingbird and pins by Jerry Funderburk; and a hand-painted china plate by Sherry Immel.

Live entertainers will include Linda Goodman, a singer, guitarist and songwriter; Robbie Fleming, a guitarist; and Harold Floyd, a bassist. Also performing are young local talent including Vince Carr, Rebekah Dennis and Mallory and Jordy Searcy.

Children’s author Leslie Spradlin will be on hand to tell about her latest children’s book; also present will be DK the Clown — Dorothy S. Johnson, for adults — who will perform her balloon art throughout the evening.

“It's a night of music, live entertainment and art,” Youngblood said.

The occasion has grown over the years, she said, adding that the guild’s support helped put it on the map.

“Their partnership has kind of helped us make a name for this event,” she said.

Tickets will be sold throughout the evening at Fall into Reading; to purchase a pass beforehand, call the library at 621-2818.