Press Biography

In 2006, Linda Starr, a former landscape contractor and lifelong gardener, was the proud owner and developer of Springville Lavender Gardens in California. In a couple of years she and her husband, Gary, turned grassy cattle fields into a botanical paradise with hundreds of lavender, herbs, perennials, fruits, and vegetables. Linda decided to take an evening class at the local college with plans to make unique vases to sell with her fresh and dried lavender and cut flowers in her gift shop at the farm.

After a few years a recurring back injury forced Linda to give up her lifelong dream of the lavender gardens and eventually sell the farm. Linda was devastated; she never thought she would love anything more than landscaping and flower farming.  She thought nothing else could hold her attention as much as the botanical world had. Linda continued attending college pottery classes to learn more about ceramics. Slowly she began to develop a passion for working with clay. She took workshops from famous potters and she joined a pottery guild. She entered several art shows and received blue ribbons for her pottery creations.

In 2007 Linda started a pottery blog, Blue Starr Gallery, where she continues to chronicle her clay journey. The blog became a means of communicating and learning more about pottery from artists around the world. Leaving California Linda continued working with clay even making pottery while traveling in her motor home across the country. Linda and her husband eventually settled in Florida in 2010.

In 2014 Linda moved her pottery studio to Blairsville Georgia where she continues making, showing, and selling her pottery. Last year Linda joined the Mountain Regional Arts and Crafts Guild and shows her pottery in their gallery, Artworks, in Hiawassee, GA. Linda teaches pottery classes and also sells her pottery in local shows and markets. Over the past several years Linda has perfected her hand building techniques and has developed her own unique style. She continues to take pottery workshops from clay artists as time permits. Linda said she’s grateful she found clay as her new found passion.