Lately in the studio...

Currently, I am experimenting with a new medium (air dry clay) I plan to use as part of piece for the Stowe Prize for Literary activism which is due mid September. I plan to use collage so I need to know how it adheres and holds up. For practice and because I have been reading up on the history of cowrie shells, I sculpted a shell out of air dry clay and applied collage, acrylic ink and paint and even some wire crochet. I treated it as if it was canvas. This is my first one I made. I need to see how I will varnish and if I can clean up some of the parts I find messy. It has a nice sturdy weight to it. The drying time takes longer than the packaging states and its been really hot where I live so I know that may play a part in slowing the drying process. I think the slower the drying time the less prone to breaking which is a good thing.

The piece I want to make, incorporates many layers of collage paper but I want to use different color blues but after making this one would many layers of different blue collage be messy or would it be too plain? What am I going to do with the back? Maybe sand it smooth and leave it plain. Those are some of my current thoughts. I've already made several collage papers in blue tones. Maybe I will use less collage and try to be more strategic with the placement. More experimenting to come.