Great spangled fritillary and what came out of the kiln

This butterfly was in my front yard a couple of weeks ago. It's interesting to see how different the front of the wings look compared to the back.

I did a little hand building and have a few other pieces waiting to be wood-fired next month. It's been a long time since I've gotten anything finished since I'm saving up for wood-firing, so I caved in and had them fired in the electric kiln. The first pieces can be used for sushi or soap, but I don't eat sushi or use much bar soap so probably won't be keeping these.

Off to watch the Tour de France, the one sport that I enjoy watching. See ya!

Caterpillars and pottery pieces

Am hoping to make this post short and sweet, like all my others. Here's an update on the status of my butterfly rescue mission so far this year. The first picture is my very first and currently only Monarch to emerge, as I haven't found any more monarch caterpillars.












Here are some pictures of some black swallowtail caterpillars. Just noticed that one has pupated yesterday.

This one was the daily snap on www.verbict.com.

Here are some pieces from the last few months. A couple of my pottery friends are coveting my horse hair brushes that I made in Jamaica, and I'm trying out new ways to use them for glazing. Now that I know how to make them, we can make more!

The wood firing that was planned for the end of this month has been moved to August 14th. I'm very excited about that have at least 11 pieces made already!

Summer theme song

I have been listening to Xavier Rudd a lot lately and am trying to make this my summer theme song. He plays a didgeridoo in other songs. What's not to love about that?


Here are some mugs and a pitcher that I brought home in the last month or two, made at my local clay hangouts. I still have a few more pieces to share from Jamaica.














I'm very excited to be getting ready for a wood-firing locally at the end of this month! I love the idea of not knowing where the ash will deposit or exactly how pots will look after firing and where they will be kissed by the flame...just giving them up to all the variable factors and accepting what comes out. Also have been trying to make my work more "fluid" or "organic" or "not-perfect" and playful. We'll see if you can tell.

Jamaica part 4--sugar cane harvesting

Here are some pictures from the sugar cane harvesting in the area. The cane will most likely go to Appleton Estate to make rum. It is burned first and then "combined". Yes, that's a John Deere. I didn't bring any rum home, as I knew they sell it in the states and had too many bottles of scotch bonnet pepper sauce (my current addiction) and guava jam to bring home.

Jamaica part 3

The ceramics workshop was held at the pottery studio located on the Good Hope Estate/Plantation inland in the Cockpit Mountains. I will embellish more on the artists, studio, gallery, and kilns in a later post.

The Good Hope Plantation was first built in 1755 and mainly raised sugar cane. Today they mainly raise citrus, and there is a citrus-packing plant on the grounds. Yes, we did get fresh-squeezed orange juice every morning along with fresh mango and papaya. Yum! The only thing looming to ruin the feeling of perfect paradise on the plantation is its history of slavery.

Here are some bowls I made in Jamaica. There are various momentos in the first one including a tamarind seed that was in a pocket of my dirty shorts--oops, sorry customs.

Jamaica part 2

Here are some pictures from the airport in Montego Bay (what the locals call Mo' Bay) to Good Hope. When I stepped off the plane, it was warm and humid.








Yes, those are bougainvilleas.




The next photo is where Usain Bolt went to high school.




Here are some vases thrown and fired in Jamaica.






Stay tuned for scenes from Good Hope Plantation!

Jamaica part 1

I had an amazing time in Jamaica and learned a lot! The first pictures include someone helping me pack.

Beef patties--My first meal in Jamaica outside the airport, kind of like fleischkechla without the saurkraut.


I will post pictures of the scenery soon.


Here are the bottles that I made in Kansas and bisque-fired and then fired in Jamaica.