A Bit More Clay

I've been doing more sculpting, getting another batch of little pieces ready to go into the kiln Sunday night.  Here's the bear family I made.  I've also sculpted a "skunk monk" and a chipmunk waif.

As for the bear family, my sister inquired as to the whereabouts of the papa bear.  The answer is that he's off somewhere else, pursuing his own life.  The dad bears are actually a danger to the cubs!

Also as for the bear family, the glazing will be a real challenge as I don't have a low-fire brown glaze that I like that much.  And I've looked and looked.  So I'm considering making them "spirit bears."

Spirit Bears are a unique community of black bears that live in the coastal forests in British Columbia.  A small percent of them - around 10%, I think - are white.  These are not albino bears, but black bears with white coats.  Actually, black bears occur elsewhere in many different colors, ranging from light cinnamon all the way to black.  But as far as I know, British Columbia is the only place where there are white ones.  They live in native American (continent, that is, not country) territory and so are well protected from the disturbing onslaught of tourists.  I'd like to see on some day, but I know I'm not up to the rigors of the required journey.  So I must be content with seeing them in photographs and in my imagination.