work it out duck

Ceramic duck, freshly created.

Last summer I was visiting my mom and our walk in her neighborhood we saw a couple of duck sculptures wearing rain boots. The kids thought this was clever and they kept asking me to make one like it. I was all in, but every time I started they’d ask to hold it and work on it themselves. Eventually it became a personal challenge to make the duck as fast as possible before the kids asked if they could hold it.

We haven’t accomplished the duck with boots because we didn’t quite get that far, but I did become skilled at forming a little duck pretty quickly without thinking too much about it. Now the duck is my go-to when I just need to work something out, when I don’t necessarily want to create anything new or in great detail but need to move energy through.

Most of my little ducks get smashed and recycled, few make it to the kiln. This particular one might, it’s pretty smooth and cute. I think it’s important to always have an attainable go-to practice, accessible enough to do it when my mind and body need relief. Sometimes it’s dancing and stretching, and for the past years apparently it’s also little work it out ducks.

Ceramic duck, freshly created.