Reporting by Robert Kokenyesi, Ceramic Artist, Beachfront Pottery, Godfrey, IL 62035, USA.

The published news article

Sea slugs have been one of my favorite sea critters for many years.  Their streamlined bodies, the delicate tentacles, and the strikingly intense coloration caught my eye when I was looking at websites o ocean critters.  Because sea slugs move very slowly, it was surprising to see that they hitched a ride across the Pacific Ocean.  The story below is from the Science Daily.

 

Tsunami enabled hundreds of aquatic species to raft across Pacific: Biologists detect longest transoceanic rafting voyage for coastal species

The 2011 Japanese tsunami set the stage for something unprecedented. For the first time in recorded history, scientists have detected entire communities of coastal species crossing the ocean by floating on makeshift rafts. Nearly 300 species have appeared on the shores of Hawaii and the US West Coast attached to tsunami debris, marine biologists discovered.

 

Related Beachfront Pottery pieces

 

These three flat pieces are wall hangings showing a pair of sea slugs.  I was exploring the color of glazes, and creation of a raised sea slug relief.  I made a few bisque sea slugs, and I placed the under the wet sheet of clay.  After that I pushed the clay gently over the bisque shape, so the relief will have a good authentic sea slug form.

The sizes are about 4X10 inches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This wall hanging (8X8 inches) shows three sea slugs together.  here, too, I used the sea slug shaped bisque to form the sea slugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This 12 inch diameter platter is based on a ring of yellow sea slugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Inspiration for future Beachfront Pottery ceramic pieces

So much to consider here.  The floating debris from the tsunami moved thousands of miles at 1.5 miles per hour.  The floating pieces brought hundreds of species to Hawaii and Oregon coast.   What made such trips possible is the floating nature of the debris. Plastic in the oceans tend to float, and such garbage patches can contribute to dispersal of non-native, or outright invasive species.

 

I have thought of making a set of ceramic pieces titled “Pacific thrash vortex” with ceramic pieces of ocean critters mixed with plastic pieces, and other found items forming a swirling pattern.  At this time I’m not sure about the details, but the pieces would create a strong enough impression on the viewer.