Some Old Pots

Altered Coil Vase by Linda Starr
10 x 5.5 x 5

Today I'm in a reflective mood because of the date in history, but also because of moving and the future. While packing up my studio I came across some old stoneware pots I made years ago, a couple of coiled pots and a small hand built tray. I purposefully squeezed the vase above after I made it and then added the drooping handles. The handles look like cinch strings; I like that idea. The pot will not hold water and the glaze crawled but it was one of the first coiled pieces I ever made and glazed.

Textured Coiled Pot by Linda Starr
5.5 x 5 x 5

I became a bit nostalgic thinking that my pot making was a lot more free back then than it is now. Back then I wasn't thinking of how the pot would turn out or what it would look like in the end, I was just engrossed in the making. This coiled pot will hold water, but the glaze had a lot of debris in it which stuck to the outside of the pot. The glazes at the college classroom always seemed to be contaminated. Each pot I made was a learning experience. I started making my own glazes, sieving them and washing my pots before glazing them.

Small Tray by Linda Starr
3 x 5.5 x 5

I really love the glaze on this hand built tray, it's called celery. No one at the college had the recipe for the glaze; there was just a small bucket in the classroom, gone many years ago. If you have the recipe I would love to have it. This cone 10 glaze is perfect for a stoneware clay; it's a beautiful light colored matt and breaks to a warm brown on the edges. I use this little tray to hold spools of thread when I'm doing a bit of sewing.

I think it's good for me to look back at some old work, to see where I have been, where I am now, and where I might be going. I'm just itching to make a few pots today, but alas, for now it's back to packing, have a good weekend.