Clay

More clay creativity this week, works include mirror frames with impressed decoration and tiny animals, a group of ships including a viking longship complete with sail and shields, a ferry, a ship wrecked and broken apart on rocks, a wall with 2 cats scavenging tin cans and a crisp packet, a self-portrait, a car, and a family of cats. We use Flax paper clay which is great for modelling as really fine parts remain strong, and it is really good for its dry strength. I have to transport the models from church hall to my studio along a cobbled lane. There was always one who had forgotten to glue parts together with slip causing a certain amount of shedding of noses etc just as I was about to load the kiln but now parts do not drop off so readily and are easily repaired with this forgiving material. During firing I have to run an extractor fan as the flax burns off creating a localised bonfire complete with fumes in my studio.

Clay Heads of Dads

Have just removed clay, or brains as I told them, from clay heads of dads made this week. Some great characters have been created. Plan is to plant cress to appear as hair so I will have the heads around for a long time, Father's day not until 20th June! One dad has a cat on his head instead of hair, his offspring was inspired by a picture of a Toby jug Long John Silver with a parrot. It looks surreal.Photos will follow eventually after drying, firing, planting and painting.