Time, Life, and Clay

Toyahvale Texas Church by Linda Starr
7 x 5 x 5 inches, porcelain with slip

The date on my camera said February 2010, but it seems so long ago when I visited this church in Toyahvale, Texas. I'm just now realizing how stressful it is, picking up and moving across the country from one coast to another. A bit like placing oneself in a bottle, a cork inserted afterwards, and being tossed into the sea, not knowing when or where you will land, or, even if, you will land.

Toyahvale Texas Church by Linda Starr
(side view)

It seems like a lifetime ago when we set out, and yet it was only a couple of months ago. So much has happened in such a short amount of time. I remember wanting to replicate the church in clay, and make other types of buildings, but thought there was no way they would survive traveling in an RV across the country. So I put my ideas aside till today.

Toyalvale Texas Church by Linda Starr
(before slip decoration)

original church in Toyahvale Texas

Here's the church which inspired me a short time ago, but so long ago. I added ledges and a pillar in the center of the building to help hold up the roof. I noticed from a photo in my previous post the interior of the actual church had rafters holding up the roof. Perhaps I should have used rafters and made the roof removable. It would be fun to actually see the rafters made of clay, just like the original building was constructed. I could have used kanthal wire for the bell and later added a rope to ring the bell after firing. I've always been fascinated with architecture, so making buildings with clay affords me an opportunity to learn more about construction techniques. I haven't actually made it to the Atlantic Ocean yet, maybe next week I'll take a bottle and throw it into the ocean with a note inside. Comments and suggestions are welcome.