Shop Update: Beastlies
Hello! A rainy week here in Los Angeles means a batch of 15 new Beastlies will be arriving in the shop on Thursday 3/20 at noon, Pacific.
Why does rain mean Beastlies? Because while I can work with polymer clay in my nice cozy studio, my ceramic sculpting workspace is a weird little setup in the back yard under a tent. It’s best to keep that material out of my multipurpose studio due to the amount of mess and hazardous dust that ceramic clay generates. And while he tent is good at its main job of keeping mosquitoes off me, it’s not very rain-proof.
I like spending so much time in my tiny back yard because it gives me a chance to connect with how densely packed with life even a small patch of nature in the middle of a city can be. The trailcam I have active overnight near the tent keeps us up to date with the comings and goings of the raccoons, opossums, skunks and occasional coyotes that wander through (which I often share on my Instagram — check the Backyard Cam highlight reel), and as we get closer to summer, my annual fascination with boosting the local monarch butterfly population will get plenty of documentation as well.
My favorite backyard resident at the moment, however, is the Allen’s hummingbird who built her tiny dollhouse teacup of a nest in a spot where I can watch her do her parenting.
In fact, I recently climbed a stepladder and held my phone over my head to catch a peek at the offspring. The two wiggly babies inside are each tinier than a peanut M&M and always hungry, based on the frequency of mom’s feedings.
Now that the rain seems to have passed, I’m looking forward to keeping an eye on the family while I sculpt. Connecting to my little wild neighbors has always been good for the mental health and the creative drive. I hope you’re able to find a bit of that in your life, whether you live in a city like me or closer to the woods. Maybe the next time you’re looking for a little of that feeling, download the Merlin bird call ID app and take a walk around your neighborhood. I did it this morning (shout out the mockingbird who momentarily confused the app with its spot-on impressions).
Coming soon: A ceramic shop update and all the info about the upcoming fundraiser I promised to share!
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