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.