Glaze Test Results

Here are my glaze test results from the experiments I did with overlapping two glazes on the leaves I make. I may retake these photos with a beige background so the colors show up brighter hopefully not competing with the white background.

These were made with a white stoneware clay, Laguna/Maccabee (which I used in Florida), fired to @ cone 5.5 with ten minute hold and a slow cool, down to 1500 F,

If you click on the photos you can enlarge the photos to see more detail.

All of these test leaves are about 5 by 7 inches and are suitable for a soap dish or spoon rest, etc.

The next four leaves are a single glaze I was testing.

I've used this glaze before and it always flashes on the edges. I think this glaze needs a particular firing schedule to achieve it's optimum color and it is one I don't use. I used this same glaze overlapped with another glaze and it was ok but by itself it's not what I like.

Stay tuned for more photos from this firing. One vase where I overlapped glazes and I don't care for but Gary said someone will like it. I can never tell what someone will like; often my least favorite piece is the one which sells the quickest. I fired a wall hanging I made some time ago and, for a first attempt, it turned out better than I expected.

Next week I have several pottery packages to ship, one to a previous customer in Florida and one to some friends in Hanoi. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Glaze Testing

My plan to test some glazes before I glaze all the big pots is coming along slowly. So far I have seventeen leaves all glazed in different glazes, many with overlapping glazes.

On the back of each leaf in oxide pencil I've written a number which corresponds to the list I've written documenting which glazes I've used on each leaf. After the glaze firing the number will remain on the back and I'll be able to see which glazes I'd like to use. Once I photograph the glaze experiments I can still sell the leaves. The oxide numbers don't affect the usability of the leaves, although a purchaser might wonder what the numbers mean.

These are the pots waiting for my glaze experiments to be fired and logged. Once I have the testing completed I'll glaze these big and tall pots. I still have a few more experiments to complete today and a few other pots to glaze. I am hoping to fire the glaze experiments on Thursday. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Gary's Sketches

Gary says he isn't an artist. I disagree. These are a few of his sketches.

One of these days I hope to make some decals and transfer some of these to clay.

I sold four leaves on Etsy in one week, what a surprise. Must be leaf season. Ha. The leaves are very versatile as a tea bag holder, spoon rest, ring dish, tea light holder, or they're just pretty to look at. Each one is made with a real leaf impression so no two are alike.

If you're looking for a leaf or small plate there will be more listed in my shop tomorrow. Prices in the shop include shipping in the USA. This post is part of Mud Colony what's happening in the studio. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Excuse Me, While I Kiss the Sky

"Excuse me, while I kiss the sky". For some reason this line from the Jimi Hendrix Purple Haze song popped into my head as I was gathering leaves the other day. I'm not sure what Jimi had in mind with the line, did he want to retreat into fantasy? I understand that feeling, I feel like that a lot lately. The line also makes me feel jubilant and thankful for the beauty of nature and the people surrounding me too. Hope you don't mind my documenting my thoughts and inspirations. I'm going to post them as I discover them. Later I'll refer to them when I'm creating something these leaves inspired me to make in clay. This blog is as much for me as it is for you.

At the Sierra Hills Gift Boutique this past weekend someone else was also kissing the sky. An 85 year old woman in a wheelchair rolled up to my booth and I noticed she was clutching something very gingerly in her hand. I asked her what she had. When she opened her hand, she revealed the most beautiful Bradford pear leaf I have ever seen. The leaf had orange, brown, green, and gold. The leaf reminded me of a Rorschach ink blot test. The leaf was perfectly symmetrical as if someone had clamped the two sides of the leaf together with various colors inside and then just opened the leaf to reveal the perfectly formed colors.
Of course I didn't have my camera to take a photo of the woman and her pear leaf, but Gary manned the booth while I went outside to gather a few pear leaves for myself. I didn't find a leaf just like the one the woman found, but I found others. Leaves are illustrated in clay quite often. For instance some folks at Beads of Clay also found inspiration in leaves.
Unfortunately there weren't many sales at the show; only lesser priced items were selling. I understand where folks are coming from only too well. The economy in California is stalled. Unemployment is running very high in the state as well. My local area has 15 percent unemployment. Even those with jobs are feeling the pinch. Earlier this year, Gary was cut back two hours per day and his salary was also reduced. Just the other day Gary's boss was saying when things pick up they'll be getting a raise. Gee, with a raise Gary will probably be making less than he was before. Somehow that doesn't sound like a raise to me.

Anyway, in spite of lack luster sales the Sierra Hills benefit for the local Boys and Girls Club was a success and worthwhile for many reasons. I had plenty of time to enjoy the company of visitors to my booth and people said they really appreciate seeing art handmade by local artisans. Others said they want to come up to visit my studio and several asked about my ceramic sculptures. Since my sculptures are harder to transport, I didn't bring any to the show. Live and learn; next show I'll be sure to bring a sculpture.

Hollyhock Plates by Linda Starr

Meanwhile I'm thinking about building a display stand I can use at shows to hang tiles, decorative plates, and the plaques I make. I could use two pieces of pegboard 2 x 4 foot. Then I'd put 1 x 2's on the edges to strengthen it. I'd make it about 5 feet tall and two sided with a hinge at the top. I'd set it up at the corner of my booth with some lettering at the top with my name. Ceramic pieces could be hung with S hooks. What do you think? Feel free to make comments, in the meantime Excuse Me, While I Kiss the Sky.

Rose and Chartreuse

A few of the Western redbud leaves are turning due to the unseasonably cool weather these last few days. The green veins are so wonderful contrasted against the rose color. I like how the edge of the leaf is just a little darker like a thin frame. The green veins look like they are spilling into the rose, but I know the rose is invading the green.


When I walked in the front yard I noticed the Tropicana canna leaves were almost the same color as the redbud. The green is a little more chartreuse, like Meredith's zinnia, but the rose is almost the same hue as the redbud leaves.


I thought I'd like to make ceramic piece using these colors, perhaps even using the veining. Then I thought about using the colors in the canna leaves too.


I could see myself painting all the little veins, but could I achieve such wonderful colors? I know Kitty Shepherd could achieve these colors.



I know I can't duplicate mother nature exactly, but I'm inspired by the leaves and I dream about the colors and my next creation in clay.

Barrel Firing Results

I won't keep you in suspense any longer. My barrel firing was too hot to unload yesterday and tomorrow (actually this morning, since it's after midnight) I have a group coming early. What looked like hanging laundry in the previous post was salted raffia and burlap which I used to wrap the pieces for this barrel firing, which helped produce some great colors.


The two vases and the figure eight piece to the right are also from this firing. I feel like I've made some real progress on my barrel firings and now it's just about time for the burn ban to go into effect for the summer. Maybe we'll have a couple of more weeks, but I don't have anything else made or bisque fired unless I pull it out of the glaze firing. I'm waffling back and forth on that, what do you think?


Here's a sampling of the pendants. Some of the pendants have more subtle colors and others have dark, rich colors. I was planning on gluing bails on the ones without holes, but now am wondering what style and color of bails to use. I thought silver would be too shiny, but Gary thinks silver would look great. I've been looking around for copper, pewter, and other colored bails. I might have to get a sampling and see how each style looks next to the pendants before I glue them.


For those who asked about the pendants, pendants with holes are available in a day or two, the others should be ready in a couple of weeks. I'll post photos of what they look like with their bails when they are completed. Pendants range in size from 4 inches down to 3/4 inch long. I'll be posting them with a link individually so you can see them in more detail.


I also put a couple of my larger leaves, about 3.5 x 4.5 inches, in the firing. My leaves are usually for wind chimes, soap dishes or spoon rests, but since these aren't functional, I thought they would be nice to hang in a window. I remember doing macrame years ago and wish I remembered some of it now. It might be nice to have the leaves incorporated into a macrame piece. Not that I have time to do it, but who knows. I'll have to see about that.


Gary is taking full credit for the results of this firing since he put the straw, sawdust, and wood in the barrel, and lit the fire. Of course I outlined each step of the loading for him. He doesn't know how long it took me to prepare the ingredients and wrap each piece with my special technique. Actually he does, he kept asking me if I was ready to load the barrel. So this was a collaborative process. Gary said he knows the colors on the pots came from the butane lighter he used to light the fire.


Today I noticed these newly formed grapes growing in my garden, discovering them in this early stage is awesome. When we were transforming our landscape here, we uncovered lots of old horseshoes and we put them up on posts as rustic decor. I just thought of making some ceramic horseshoes and firing them in my next barrel firing. I just can't help myself, but I actually think it's a good idea. I better write it down so I won't forget. Toodles!