Mountain Cabin

For most of our married life Gary and I have lived in the mountains, the northern, central and southern Sierra Nevada mountains and the Cascades near Mt Lassen. Now that we're living in Florida we both find ourselves missing the tall trees, the cool air, and a mountain lifestyle.


It was a blustery day today with the wind whipping in the trees and leaves blowing all around. I planned to make a shrine and decided beforehand to build some Greek columns deteriorated with age. But when I started making the form a different shape emerged. I'm sure I was unconsciously missing the mountains. Why is it when you live somewhere you long to be somewhere else? We can't really afford to travel right now so I guess making what I'm thinking is the next best thing.


I textured the roof, thinking about this building which I drive past on the way to the gallery in Floral City. I plan to make another shrine with the roof line going the other direction so I can capture the shingle shapes and colors like those here. I'd love to see inside this building; I wonder if the fireplace is a double sided one. There are three other buildings similar to this one in a group. I think it's an old motel. When I got out to take the photos I noticed these building are probably still inhabited. Oops, Gary waited in the car that day, Ha. Maybe I have enough of the red underglaze left, darn I need that color. You'll see why I've almost run out below.


Once I got to this point I started thinking about what to put on the porch and on the wall, but I was stumped for an idea and totally frustrated. How could that be I never lack for ideas. All of a sudden I knocked over an open bottle of red underglaze. It tipped over and started dripping all over the table top and on to the floor. I had to act fast so it didn't get into the grout lines of the tile. It was quite a mess. By the time I finished cleaning that up, Gary came home with some fresh fish and it was time to cook dinner. So I set the building in the cabinet and decided I could always make it a mixed media piece and add embellishments after firing.

Later on I thought about adding a canoe and some fishing rods leaning up against the building but then I thought the canoe would be too large for that spot. I went back to the building much later and added the door and windows. Meanwhile I've talked Gary into making something for the porch. So this will be a collaborative piece but you'll have to wait and see how this evolves till after the firing.

Up next a fresh fish recipe, another whimsical tile, and another animal portrait so please check back again. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.