The Beauty of Random Creations

The hand behind those creations is Natasha Stoute-Burnley and she provided Sunday Newsday with a tour of her designs at her Arouca home last week. Her clay designs, including snakes, frogs, turtles and beetles, decorated her garden area, turning it into a verdant wonderland. Inside her home there are a number of shelves with more items: cars, worms and even cute mice in baby strollers.

“Its a lot of random stuff,” she said.

Stoute-Burnley works in liquid clay, terra cotta and white clay.

During the interview she demonstrated pouring the liquid clay into a mould. The mould is then kept tight with rubber bands. After a few hours the mould is removed and cleaned it. It has to dry out well and is then carried to be “fired” and then painted, both actions multiple times depending upon the item. One piece could take weeks.

Stoute-Burnley, 43, from Arouca and mother of two, was born to a father who was government painter and a mother who did a lot of jobs including tiling and caring for children.

Both her parents have passed.

Stoute-Burnley recalled that growing up she was always creative and would do things like basket weaving, knitting and sewing or make snacks like paw paw balls and tamarind balls. Her passion was always hair, though, and she care for the hair of her two sisters. She did cosmetology at Arima Senior Comprehensive and her profession is hair technician. In a recommendation letter from a teacher dated May 1991 she was described as “industrious and businesslike with a personality that (enamoured) her to everybody who knew her.”

The road to Random Creations began with her long time love of cacti of which she had amassed a small collection.

She recalled that she would go plant shopping with a friend but found it difficult to find pieces to put in the small cactus pots or to decorate the garden area. She would find a few plastic frogs, some mushrooms and fairies but she wanted to have her own pieces for her miniature gardens.

She was inspired four years ago when her sons’ father purchased a worm decoration for her garde. She purchased a piece of clay and brought it home.

After having it on a shelf for a month she began making decorative worms out of it. She made the error, however, of making the pieces solid instead of hollow but learned to improve her craft since then.

She started to craft more things and her friends and co-workers began expressing interest in the items and how they were created.

“It was different from anything anybody else was doing.” She said that she focused on a garden theme and all the work was done by hand even when it is poured from a mould it is still painted and details added. She is self-taught and through the internet, her “best friend”, she was able to learn how to paint.
On the name of the business she said a friend called from the United States commented on the variety of her items and came up with the name Random Creations. She used the worm as the logo because this was the first piece that inspired her.

“I am inspired by everything around me. It is never one thing on my mind to create.” People began asking to buy her items but she wanted everything to be professional before she started selling. She registered her company in November 2014 and also printed call cards and t-shirts designed by her graphic designer son Ezra.
She was also encouraged by friends to attend plant shows and his first appearance at a show three years ago, which was also hosted by Eastern Horticultural Club, “was a hit.”

“Everybody loved the beetles, worms and snakes.” She said after that appearance she received calls from people from South Trinidad and a woman from Guyana.
Her aunts from the United States ordered some items with patriotic colours for souvenirs.
She has taught at two vacation camps and showed the children how to make butterflies.
Stoute-Burnley said that she loves to teach children and introduce them to clay. She recalled that a married couple visited her at her home and she taught them to do some pieces.

She said her pieces are nice enhancement for gardens. They start from just $15 and Stoute-Burnley said she likes to make her things very affordable.

She said that people are in awe when they see her work and ask questions like “this was done here?” “In Trinidad?” “You did this?” “Locally done?’ They would also describe her pieces as “beautiful” and one person told her she “loves everything.” At one plant show a patron told her that she could not leave her booth because of all the great items. She said people are amazed that is not imported from Japan or china.

She said her pieces are not just ornamental but useful and one of her friends uses her clay shoes to hold stationery.

She added that they are a great gift for someone who really loves plants and they can get unique, inspired pieces which can be left outdoor and hold up to the weather.
She has made plant pots into shells, turtles, snails, owls, mushrooms and even Buddhas.
“You name it, Random Creations have it.

And it’s all hand done.” She teaches adults by appointment and expressed hope that she will be able to teach more children.

You can check out Random Creations on Facebook @randomcreations, call 778-0443 or email randomcreationstt@ gmail.com