I finally saw the hut completely finished in all of its glory!

Overall, it was successful, but I learned a lot about what I can do to improve the next one and also make the process a bit quicker. A big problem that I had this time around was the chicken feet, they broke on me more than once during the process, and by the last kiln firing, I had already accepted the fact that my finished hut may not have all 8 original toes. I’m still not entirely sure how I got so lucky but they managed to stick on there with the help of some trusty Bisque Fix. Next time I know that I have to make different feet that are not so thin and connected together for more support.

Last week I started the process of making a mold for the feet. Once I have the mold I will no longer need to sculpt the feet by hand but instead pour some clay into the mold, add the details, and connect the feet to the hut! I can’t wait to try this approach out because I think it will go a lot faster and the feet will be much more sturdy and less likely to break. Another aspect I want to play around with is the shape of the hut, I think it would be fun to experiment with some different shapes and glazes so that each one is unique. I built this one out of a slab of clay but I think it would also be fun to throw the base on the wheel and then shape it into a square later.

One thing I still haven’t tested is what it will look like with a candle or incense burning in it! I am very excited to find out but I don’t want to risk breaking it in the process of taking it home. So my plan is to wait until after my senior show in November/December. I am so happy with my first draft and can’t wait to see what the second attempt will look like and how I can continue to learn and evolve the idea! I really like working with this size compared to the huge one I made. This one takes less time to build and glaze. I also think it is a more reasonable size to sell. While making something sellable isn’t my main goal I have had a few people ask me if I will be selling them at any point and if I make a few by the end of the semester I think I might see how it goes. I love the idea of someone else having and loving one of my huts. Overall this is one of my favorite pieces I have ever made and I will cherish it forever.