WAAYY outside of my comfort zone

 I recently participated in an Altered Doll workshop -

on line, through Facebook Live -

a workshop which involved sculpting an animal head with clay.

 

Here's the thing -

I've never sculpted before, 

I have zero ability to follow directions 

unless an instructor is standing right in front of me

and I don't like doing things unless I know I can do them well.

 

Sounds like a complete waste of $35.00, right?!

Clearly I signed up when I was desperate 

for yet one more distraction from more serious concerns. 

The examples shown of sculpted heads were for an elephant and a giraffe.

Easy enough for me to decide -

I associate elephants too much with the Republican party - 

NO WAY was I going to expend time and energy to bring one of them into my house!

So giraffe it was.

As a child, I always wanted to have a long graceful neck - 

like the actress, Audrey Hepburn -

rather than the squat peasant neck of my ancestors.

Since it wasn't likely I could change genetic structure, 

I figured I might as well give the giraffe a try

and live out my neck fantasies vicariously.

 

(Imagine my surprise when I realized at the end of the class -

as other creators posted images of their dolls -

that rule breakers abounded!

Classmates had crafted amazing roosters, ravens, pigs, groundhogs,

rabbits, dragons, cats, dogs and horses!)

It never even occurred to me to venture that far out of the box!

 

Anyway, even before the first session, 

as I started freaking out about armature, lack of talent, clay drying too quickly etc,

my son (Art boy) told me to get some cheap clay and just play -

anything to get the feel of the material and reduce the mystery of it.

Besides, he reminded me, you don't even have to show it to anyone; 

it's still basically quarantine, no one even has to know you're trying this.

AHH, avoidance and denial - I can do that!

So I played -

and was actually pretty pleased with the result, so I made another.

'cause everyone deserves a friend.

 

When class time rolled around, I was ready.

This

became this
 

and Audrey started emerging.

 

Thank God for the Dollar store -

for false eyelashes and cloths in the auto section 

that can be repurposed as manes.

We've had a few false starts with clothing

She was so upset with the whole sunflower vibe thing that she became suicidal

and leapt off the table in protest;

breaking an ear, but surviving more or less intact.

 

Nothing that couldn't be camouflaged by the right flower placement.

She clearly preferred something understated and simple.

Classy gal that Audrey.

I knew she would be.

 

Can't tell you what fun it was to reach beyond what I know 

and think I'm capable of doing.

Also nice to know that as my body is aging and failing me in so many ways,

there are still new things to learn and do.