Adding clay to "Light of Hope and Healing"

As I approach the finished surface of the sculpture, I want to have a smooth surface. I use La Beau Touche High-Melt clay, which at room temperature is relatively stiff. By warming the clay, it moves smoothly over the surface and fills in rough places.

Another way to smooth clay is to use a flexible metal tool. Here, I am smoothing the clay from the muscular portion of the leg down into the crease.

I am adding clay to the little boy.

This is the current progress on the woman. I need to fill in more around her hips and chest wall.

This is the progress on the little girl. I have blocked in her body and I am happy with her legs, but I need to define her arms and work some more on her head.

This is the overall sculpture at the present stage. The woman's legs need some more bulk, and the man's legs need to be slimmer.

We had several inches of snow this last week. I stopped on the drive between the house and studio to take this picture.

As you can see, the snow clung to everything - and it made for a very pretty scene. This is one of the places where I feed birds, which is at the back of the studio property. There is a stone bench under the tree on which I put the seed.

These are the biggest birds to eat at the seed table (which is just outside the studio). The turkey on the left is much more cautious than the others, and seemed to be aware of me. He soon moved out of view.

Here is another visitor to the seed table - an Opossum. I scatter seeds under the table, as well, so that critters who would have trouble climbing can have something to eat, too.