Birthday Committees and Clay

"Can you make a zebra for me?  I like zebras!"  - C.C.

As mentioned yesterday, we have started our birthday committees. Part of this process is interviewing the birthday child to gather information about what language they might want their committee to use.   Today, we invited C.C. and two of her committee members (Audrey and Marley) into the atelier.  Initially, our conversation was about C.C.'s recent birthday party.  When the topic of gifts came about, it led us naturally into something we might be able to make for her.  Available, on the table, were three languages we have used recently (collage, watercolors, and clay).  When I (Elyse) asked if we could use one of these languages for a gift, I had barely finished the question when C.C. pointed to the clay.  ​

"I'm three now." - C.C.

"If we used clay to make C.C. a birthday gift, what would we create?" - Elyse 
"I don't know!" - C.C. 
"Do you have a favorite animal?" - Elyse 
"Elephant! No....I like zebras! [thoughtful pause] Can you make a zebra for me? I like zebras!" - C.C. 
"I like zebras." - Marley 
"And Marley likes them." - C.C. 
"How can we make a clay zebra?" - Elyse 
"You have to put stripes on it because zebras have stripes." - C.C.

While the conversation focused on zebras, as did some of the techniques, the girls concentrated on some new, and familiar, tools.  The wire cutter did not seem to satisfy their desire to cut the clay, and they discovered the fettling knife on the shelf (better known to us this morning as a "clay knife").  They cut with the fettling knife, twisted it in the clay, and used it to hold small pieces up.  We discussed how our clay changes as we work with it, and their favorite "change" was breaking it.  

"Maybe I want to roll my clay." - Sylvie

When the birthday committee was finished, Maxon and Sylvie expressed an interest in working with the clay in the atelier.  They too focused on the use of tools and how they changed their clay.  They also used the fettling knives, wooden dowels, and wire cutters, but they also added in rolling pins and some of our copper collage paper.  

The paper inspired Sylvie to wear the clay like a gift.  
"It's a present!" - Sylvie

"It's a lollipop!" - Maxon

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