Pinching Some Clay

 A few months ago, Yam gave me some modeling clay she had left over from one of her art projects. I did not know what I was going to make with it, so it sat in my studio for a little while. Yam's question of what I had finally made with it, prompted me to actually start making something...but what?

The Colonel and I have helped children (and adults) learn how to make pinch pots out of clay as volunteers for county programs. To begin a pinch pot, one must roll the clay into a ball and then insert one thumb into the ball. Then with the thumb and fingers, pinch the clay into a bowl/pot shape.

I decided to start out with a pinch pot base and build upon that. Of course I had to make a mermaid and a bird.

Once I sculpted my mermaid and bird, they had to be baked to harden the clay. My clay creations sat unpainted for some time before was inspired to adorn them with color.

Of course the mermaid had to be a bright, tropical color. I opted to make her a brunette with brown eyes (like me). I added some glitter in the paint to highlight her patches of scales and I gave her a shell bra for modesty's sake (plus it looks cute). 

I decided to make the bird a Robin. Every year, my yard is filled with hundreds of  Robins as they stop for a rest during their migrations north and south. Robins also remind me of  my childhood summers in Indiana. Keep in mind that my Robin is not John James Audubon realistic. 

I am submitting an image from the web of an American Robin so that you can see that my Robin is not too far off the mark (artistic license is at work here). 

I had fun creating my pinch pot mermaid and American Robin. Thanks Yam for giving me your extra modeling clay.