Freedom Isn't Free

After the thunderstorm yesterday evening I was wondering why I moved to Florida. The cats were really scared, heck I was too. I was sure any minute a lightening bolt would come straight through the house and strike me where I stood. The cats and I all got in an interior room and waited while lightening struck all around us.


The electricity went out and the pinch pot I was making had to wait. I covered it up with plastic and hoped it wouldn't dry out too much. This morning the birds are chirping as if to say, enjoy the calm before the storm again this afternoon.


I'll have to arrange my clay making and firing schedules to avoid thunderstorm time of late afternoon. Might have to start firing at midnight and finish up in the morning because the afternoons seem to bring the thunderstorms.


These pots are small pinch pots I made from sculpture clay. The glazes seem to like this clay. Folding the edges together allowed for pooling of the glaze in the crevices, I'll have to remember to do that more often. The first pot (front view, then interior) is 2 x 1.5 inches. The second is 1 x 3 inches and the third is 1.5 x 2.75. My photography seems to be regressing instead of progressing. For convenience and storage I've decided on an easy cube to go with my graduated backdrop for photographing my work. So hopefully I'll receive the one I ordered soon and I'll find that graduated backdrop. One of the things I hate about moving, it seems like it takes months to get stuff sorted out where you can find it easily.


After attending a party at the neighbor's Saturday night I woke up to sciatica so I haven't gotten as much done as I wanted. Gary is in California now and will be heading out with the treasure bus in a day or two. When he gets back I hope to have some photos from his trip to show you since he remembered to bring his camera with him. Up next I'll show you some pieces I've been working on experimenting with some new colors of mason stains mixed in slips.


Today I'm appreciating those who serve to keep our country free; freedom isn't free. Choices often come at a cost; I'm thankful for my freedoms. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

A Few More

Two Clay Vase by Linda Starr
This is my favorite piece from this firing. I like how the embedded clay turned a rich black brown, and the satin glaze is subtle, barely there. The edge is ruffled just enough to emphasize the diagonal strips of dark clay. The glaze on the interior makes a nice contrast but not too sharp. I like to hold this vase, to feel the embedded clay and the softness of the stoneware next to it. The other pieces with embedded clay weren't as successful as this one.


Two Tone Basket by Linda Starr
I can't take credit for the glazing technique on this pinched basket, it was Gary's idea. He keeps saying he isn't artistic, but I know differently. He always looks at things in a completely different way. I missed glazing the inside of a couple of feet. I need to start looking at each piece twice (with my magnifying glasses on) before I consider it is completed.


Vase With Squares by Linda Starr
I amazed myself that this piece made it through so many transports till it's final firing - in the RV while it was green, the car transported to our new home, the car transported to be bisqued, the car transported back to house to be glazed, the car transported back to be glaze fired, the car transported back here for you to see.

I put three coats of glaze on but the red clay seems to soak up the color. I intended for it to be a darker turquoise but the black isn't as dark as I expected either so the two work OK together. The piece isn't tipsy, but it could tip over easily if knocked. I may have to display it with some sand inside it. I wonder what a flower displayed behind the open square would look like. Too hokey? What do you think? Sometimes I like making pieces in clay just to challenge myself.


Vase with Collar by Linda Starr
This pinched vase is a little too thick at the bottom and the glaze bubbled ever so slightly on one side but the surface isn't broken. Gary is staying at some wonderful hotel in Tucson for his cousin's daughter's wedding. I am totally jealous, he promises to bring back photos. He tried to go to the biosphere today, but it was closed.

If you didn't get a chance, please check out the previous post for more from this kiln load and do let me know what you think, I value your input. Tracey Broome was mentioning how she had lunch with some potter friends and they brought a pot to be critiqued. I brought some of my work to the college the other day, but class ends in two weeks. Hopefully we'll all stay in touch over the summer. The woman who fired my work has given me some pointers too.

Stay tuned for more from this firing coming up as soon as I take more photos. Then I have new pieces I've been working on with some colored slip, and not just blue and green either. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Over Hill, Over Dale

Five Sided Pyramid by Linda Starr

Four Sided Pyramid by Linda Starr

Six Wheels by Linda Starr

Wrapped Box No 1 by Linda Starr

Wrapped Box No 2 by Linda Starr

Spirit Jar No 1 by Linda Starr

Spirit Jar No 2 by Linda Starr

Camo Cylinder by Linda Starr

Here's some results from my past few months work. I made all of this work traveling in an RV across the United States. Both the work and the maker have literally been over hill, over dale, and then some. Stay tuned for more results tomorrow. Gary's made it to Texas near El Paso today. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Four of a Kind

Several years ago I made leaf plates like the ones above. I think these were hollyhock leaves. People told me they used my leaf plates for salad plates or soap dishes. One woman bought a set of four to give individually as spoon rests. This photo was taken eons ago; I've got to get my light box set up and practice my photography skills, since I'll be picking up some of my fired work tomorrow.


Since my leaf plates are so useful, I made a few yesterday, but three not four. These are small enough to be used as a spoon rest, candle holder, or could be used for a bar of soap. I noticed the native sycamore leaves in Florida are much different than the ones in California. The leaves have more points and the points are sharper, maybe a little too sharp. I've got some cleaning up to do on these.


I'm not up to Micheal Kline's 12 X Noon challenge yet, but I made four small poppy bowls today to go with a large poppy serving bowl I made a couple of weeks ago. I cut out the shape, draw the poppy, and paint the flower with colored slips. I let them dry a bit and then drape them over a form and attach the foot. The first two became almost too dry to drape while I was painting the second two bowls. I had the fan on above me which makes the clay dry more quickly. My name is on all my ware boards so if I work in another studio I know which ones are mine. One can never have too many ware boards.

I'd have to be very organized to make twelve of one item. Perhaps if I used my slab roller. I only have so many hump and slump forms though. I know I could make twelve leaf plates, probably twelve draped bowls, but I don't know about twelve handbuilt vases, but maybe. Something to strive for. Gary's almost to Louisiana today. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Sea Turtles

Sea turtles can live for 80 years. Many species of sea turtles are threatened or endangered due to over harvesting and coastal development. Last night I was inspired to make a sea turtle bowl. The bowl measures 9.5 inches square and 3 inches deep.


These juvenile sea turtles were in the exhibit at the Homosassa Springs park. During summer there are about 50,000 sea turtles in the waters surrounding Florida. If you live near a beach in Florida turning off your lights at night during May through October helps protect emerging baby sea turtles from going the wrong direction. The baby sea turtles are attracted to the brightest lights.


A fern such as this must have inspired me to make the next vase, which I made several years ago. I said I never made a flower brick, but I think this vase qualifies as one.


The vase measuring 10 x 12 x 5 inches. Sadly it developed stress cracks in the bottom during the glaze firing at Cone 10 and I threw it away. It had a beautiful teadust glaze on it and now I'm sorry I didn't take a photo of it glazed. Now I know to put sand under large pieces so they can move on the kiln shelf as they are shrinking during firing which helps prevent cracking. The fern appliques were an experiment back then too. I didn't know if they would fall off or not, but they did just fine. I might have to do an inventory of my previous work and see if I can re make some of the pieces.

Remember the treasure bus and our moving on a shoestring? Gary left for California today. We found out rental car companies in Florida have what is called Florida drive out after Spring break. For $10 a day you can rent a car with unlimited mileage. You just have to take the car out of Florida and drive one way. Gary is stopping in Tuscon to go his second cousins wedding and then is on to California to get the treasure bus which he'll drive back to Florida. Gary started calling the treasure bus a tiki bus since I've been making tikis in clay.


I'm left here all by myself to handle all the remodeling projects and I don't get to go to the wedding in Tuscon. Waaaa! The sacrifices I don't make. In the back of my mind I'm thinking I can make hundreds of pieces in clay. Hopefully I'll be real productive because Gary will probably be gone two weeks. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Fresh Florida Clams

We decided to drive up the Cedar Key again today. We had a relaxing time perusing the art galleries, looking at all the birds in the waterways, and visiting the museum. On our way out of town we picked up some fresh clams to have when we returned home.


This boat was called Miss Clarabelle. We saw lots of boats in the water too. The Cedar Key area is great for kayaking, sailing, and fishing.


Here's a Confederate Salt Kettle outside the museum. This area was the main producer of salt used as a food preservative before refrigeration was available. The kettle could produce 150 bushels of salt per day by boiling sea water.

This log cabin was a residence in town, it looks very old and the chimney looks like it's made of local limestone. I wonder what stories this building could tell.


I had a comment from Kittie of The Block about what type of vase would be good for long stem lilies. Kittie said she used a heavy pitcher which is a good choice for long stemmed flowers. Often vases are nice looking but are too light-weight for heavy flowers. I like to make a heavy vase which is more stable and less likely to tip over. I also thought of a flower brick being a good choice for long stemmed flowers. I've always wanted to make one, but never have.


Having arranged flowers for years I've always wondered how a flower brick can be adequately cleaned on the inside with a top that can't be removed? You know the slimy buildup that sometimes happens on the bottom of the vase from deterioriating leaves and stems. I might have to make a flower brick with a top which is removable. I started out with a few sketches for flower bricks, but somehow made something completely different.


I made this tall vase 12 x 5 inches with the sides curving in so when the flower stem is placed in the vase it keeps the flower upright and doesn't lean over. Both the vase and the starfish look better in person, my photo doesn't do them justice. I picked up a few tiny white starfish in a shop today and am wondering how they'll look attached to the vase after it's fired.

I didn't add a top section with grids or holes which a flower brick usually has. I think the vase will work well for long stemmed flowers as it is. It's tall and heavy enough to hold the flowers upright and curved middle sides will hold the stems in place. I envision this rustic style vase in a creamy white glaze with the white starfish, a tone on tone look, that way the color wouldn't compete with the color of flowers placed in the vase.


We got some fresh clams from Southern Cross Sea Farms on our way out of town to have for dinner. Along with the clams we had some Cuban bread, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, (like me), and some Alice White Lexia wine, which has a taste similar to Gewurztraminer. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Reverse Design

After cracks and slumping with the frost porcelain I decided to try some white stoneware, Laguna 55. Since I'm on the East coast now instead of the West, I've had to switch gears. Some of my old standby clays are not available here or if they are there is quite a delay to obtain them. My cat, Betty, is waiting for me to start working. She's saying, "Just open the bag".


Betty seems to know, sometimes better than me, that once I open the bag I'll come up with something to make, especially after I cut off a section of clay.


Once I start rolling out the clay, Betty moves to another spot in the studio for a nap. I had a few sketches for vases; I decided making a vase would be a good to test the workability of the new clay.


I rolled out the clay, it had a slight curve on one side, I decided to go with it. See that yellow plastic sculpture too, that is my very favorite tool, it's curved on the pointed end, great for smoothing seams. For most of my hand building I use that tool, a ruler, needle tool, and a damp sea sponge.


I used a paint roller for a form, it just slips out afterwards with ease. My ware board is sitting on a lazy Susan turntable I got at the dollar store. The turntable makes working with a round form much easier since I can turn the turntable instead of constantly picking up the vase.


I cut out a geometric sprig and decided to attach it to the front of the vase. I'm not sure about the shape and position, but it's already attached so I'll leave it.


After I made the vase I drew a few sketches; I like the last two drawings. I guess this is reverse design, make it first and then design an alternative. This clay is real easy to work with, I'll see how it dries and fires. Thanks Betty, you were right, that wasn't difficult. Up next our weekly trip to destination, as yet, unknown. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Kiln On Order and Tiki Two

My kiln is on order. I'm decided on a Skutt 1218. It's the newest in their line, is an oval shape that's 28 inches wide and 18 inches deep. This size should be easier for me to load with my bad back. If I make something taller than 18 inches I can always get someone else to fire it for me. Taller than 18 inches, who am I kidding. I shouldn't have said that, now I'll probably have to challenge myself to make something really tall.

Remember the first tiki I made? Above is Tiki Two, which is about 11 x 5 inches and has a removable lid. Our house remodel is costing more than we expected plus other things too. Isn't that always the way it goes. I am now trying to decide if I should put the kiln inside the garage or build a little lean to outside the garage. If I put it in the garage it will be less expensive than building a lean to, but then there is the build up of heat in summer and safety issue of having the kiln in the garage. Everything in Florida must be anchored to the ground and engineered due to hurricane potential so there's that to consider which adds to cost.

I got more mason stains because I never did find the other colors. I did find the blue, green and black stains. Now that I've read Tracey Broome's latest post, I really must make some test tiles. Tracey has inspired me to get more organized with my glaze and stain experiments. Since I wrote it down here, you'll be expecting to see the test tiles which will be an added impetus for me to get it done. I did have those ornaments I was going to use as test tiles, but I used some of them in that raku firing.

Well back to work, the vinyl we removed has left a rubbery paper backing stuck to the floor and we have to chip a little away at a time. I saw we, but actually Gary is doing most of the work. The entry tile left all the thinset and Gary has been air chiseling it out a bit at a time. We decided to have tile put in and we need a good base to lay the tile. If you have any hints on how to make these jobs easier please let me know. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Slumps, Bumps, Pits

My frost porcelain plate slumped and it has bumps. This was fired in the school kiln. I am told they fire to a hot cone 6. Debris fell in the glaze from somewhere and the plate slumped, not sure where it was located in the kiln. Oh there's a few pits in the glaze too. The companion to this plate is being fired elsewhere, the comparison should be interesting, stay tuned for that.

The good news is my experiment is a keeper. I put the black flower designs in slip on greenware, bisqued, then I sprinkled orange and green underglaze and then glazed with a clear over. I want the speckled colored glaze to be darker and more of them, but I like the layered look. I used a shiny clear, but I prefer my matt clear glaze much better than shiny. Next time it will be what I am striving for.


Here's a frost porcelain tray with a blue shino glaze from the school. Not a high fire shino that's for sure. I really miss high fire glazes. I didn't even notice the red color on the side till I took the photograph, looks like whoever picked up the piece must have gotten some other glaze on it. How do you prevent cross contamination of other glazes when loading, I am curious?

What cone should mid fire clay be fired to? The school fires to a hot 6; the woman who fired my last batch before I left California fired to a cone 6 with a 20 minute hold; the place I've taken my work to be fired this week fires to a cone 5 with a ten minute hold. Does it depend upon the clay, the glaze? There must be a rhyme or reason to firing cone 5/6.


Above is another glazing experiment being fired as we speak. In my packing I discovered a bunch of Mayco Jungle Gem glazes I had from bead making. I dabbed a bit over in various spots on this vase which is itself an experiment in embedded clay upon clay of the same type. I purposefully left some red clay showing. Some Mayco glazes will fire to cone 5/6; they have examples on their website of what they will look like fired.

I ordered my kiln; it should be here in about three weeks; more about that next time. Don't go away I have fifty more pieces coming up in the next week to show. Yes, fifty pieces, I can't even believe I made that many. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Tiki Culture

Since I've lived in both Cuba and Hawaii, and now Florida, I'm naturally inspired by tropical art, but lately tiki culture is invading my life. So, of course, I was inspired to make a tiki out of clay.


So far, I've only made one tiki shown in the first photo, since I've still been busy glazing. But I've made a couple of sketches for other tikis I plan to build. This first tiki is made from cassius basaltic clay, which fires ebony black. It's about 12 x 5 inches and is in the drying cabinet now. Perhaps there will be a few tiki mugs in the future too. Remember my tornado prawns recipe that fits the theme of tiki cuisine for sure.


I found a local artist who makes wood tikis and thought they'd be perfect to enhance the tropical feel of our Florida home. The wood tiki in the middle is about two and half feet tall and weighs about 80 pounds. Gary had to put it on a dolly to move it inside.


Remember the tropical tattoos of the mermaid and octopus which inspired me? Well the same guy also had a couple of tiki tattoos, which originally inspired me to make a ceramic tiki. It seems everywhere I look there is tropical inspiration.


Gary and I want to find a real tiki bar and go there to have a mai tai, a popular tiki culture drink, developed by Trader Vic's restaurant. Years ago I went to Trader Vic's in San Francisco, but I see that location is now closed. But I noticed there are other Trader Vic restaurants throughout the world. I had no idea. Have you been to a Trader Vic's restaurant or a tiki bar? There must be an authentic tiki bar here in Florida.


For years when I doodled in school, a palm tree on an island was the main focus of my drawings. Is it any wonder I've gravitated towards tiki art? Stay tuned for more tiki and tropical inspired ceramics. Hopefully I'll have some fired pieces back by next week to show you. Comments and suggestions are welcome.