Molding and Modeling

An amazing dynamic exists within the studio, where adults and children both teach and learn from each other.  At times, this process takes place in a sort of up and down, back and forth pattern.   Being playful and curious allows individuals' interest in the world of art to flourish, while remaining open-minded and persistent leads them to try new things and gain new perspectives.

Here, a mother and daughter work side by side to explore the feeling of clay and its possibilities.  They often paint and draw together in the studio, and feel very comfortable with those mediums, so are eager to see if their skills with another material are as successful.

Discussing their experiences with each other along the way, they share their enthusiasm for the activity and take turns practicing new techniques that they discover.  Appreciating the opportunity to learn and create in this paralleled way reflects both a growing bond in the mother/daughter relationship, as well as increased attention in each individual's artmaking.

At this point, the young artist begins a story with the owl that her mother crafted out of the clay.  She decides to create other animals and continue imagining how they would all interact in the story.

In response, her mother also molds additional items for the story's scenery and works with her daughter to develop the characters and plot.  Together, mother and daughter create a rich experience, physically centered around the clay table, but also focused on their warm relationship and ability to imagine and explore together.

Happy with the final results, the two artists take pride in their creation and laugh at the humor of their story.   Each was able to think and work independently, then together as a pair.  Taking turns and shifting from molding clay to modeling behaviors takes flexibility and inspiration, and this mother-daughter duo seem to have exactly that.

They tell the story together: An owl perched a top a tree is awaiting his lunch and spies two mice running through the field, but decides to invite the snake over to eat with him instead.  Perhaps the two mice represent the mother and daughter here, scurrying away together through the grass toward freedom and further adventures that await them.