clay: air plant mansions

Last year I admired the shelves Zan built with scraps from her slab plates. And I'd been wanting to make similar ones. I made a white one which fit the one air plant I made, but then ordered more air plants and en masse, they were a lot. I've so far made 2 of what I call their mini manse. For air flow, I started using the mini cookie cutters at the studio to make decorative vent holes. And they're a fun palette on which to test glazes. The one below is my favorite so far.

  

I installed its first "resident" earlier this week. I'm pleased. I like the contrast of the tips of the Tillandsia Red Abdita with the glassy turquoise.

I faced the plant outward to get more sunlight, and so I'm glad I made the shelf vented in order to peek at the plant from the outside.

I hadn't anticipated the darkness of the following combination of the glazes below, but I like it! The green of the air plant contrasts more with its new home.

 

Meral commented that she liked the blobby run of the glazes. Thankfully I didn't not put too much glaze to ruin a kiln shelf.

 

Last night, I finished building one with 3 shelves that can house even more plants. If I've time, I may return to the studio to sand the rough edges, but will be okay with glaze to cover over the clumsy attachments. I also attached lugs so that it can hang. I've already dreams of what glazes would look good on these kinds of shelves. I will probably glaze the big shelf with Coyote Fire Opal.