WELCOME
The purpose of this site is to share my pottery creations with family and friends – and with others who similarly find inspiration and amusement in the animal world. And yes, if you like what you see, I do commissions and regularly sell off work when I run out of space!
Zandra McGillivray
About Zandra
I started working with clay at school, and I’ve continued learning throughout my travels. My studio is now based in a small village in the Jura Mountains on the Swiss/French border, where I’m inspired by the birds and animals that surround me…as well as those further afield. Nature is full of humour. Exaggerated shapes and personalities make me smile.
It’s world bee day today #worldbeeday #bee #bees (there are many more hashtags about beef than there are about bees. And about three times as many about beer... Just sayin.)
#zandrascreations
Boris Barely-Bird. (12cm x 19cm)
Upper-class twit. Warbles on about Socrates given half a chance. Tweets regularly on matters of little concern. Nest: messy. Weight: over.
These are in solid bronze... my first. Merci Thomas Bonnotte at la Fonderie du Péroux 👏🏼 (The last photo is the original Boris, in clay.)
#zandrascreations #artistsoninstagram #art #creatures #bronze #whimsical #clayart #ceramicartist #sculptureanimal #birds
Robin and Renée Redbreast. Joint authors of Tales of True Romance and Remarkable Hens. Met in a park, tussling over a worm. Shabadabidoo.
Smallish
#zandrascreations.com #clay #robin #claysculpture #birds #art #artistsoninstagram #creationsuniques
Billy Swan.
Ambidextrous, unpredictable and (mostly) fun. Cohabits (mostly) with Brenda. Thinks nothing of swanning down the river for (mostly) a pint.
26cm x 46cm
#zandrascreations #swan #clay #ceramicsculptures #sculptures #animals #birds #whimsical #artistsoninstagram #artofinstagram
Miss Calamity Camel
Believes in being straight up, right on, and saying things as they are. Slow to offend but holds lengthy grudges. Against apathy, termites and... now of course... Aladdin.
31cm x 28cm
(braids & pompoms by Sonia)
#zandrascreations #clay #claysculpture #artistsoninstagram #camel #whimsical #ceramics #sculptureanimal #animals
Sir Godfrey Goat
Never grants audiences lightly. Given to grunting: “Buck your stumps”, and “Pull your socks up.” Feels the world is on a gravy train. 21cm x 32cm
#zandrascreations #goats #clay #ceramicsculptures #whimsical #clayanimals #clayart #claysculpture #creationsuniques #artistsoninstagram #sculptureanimaliere #sculptures
How things evolve...🤣 Next steps: dry, fire, glaze, fire. All before Xmas. Eek. #zandrascreations #clay #sculpture #whimsical #camel #art #ceramicartist #creative
Evolution...
(Not quite finished...but good to get back into my studio after a long absence. Aiming to fire before Christmas.) #zandrascreations #clay #goat #goathead #horns #sculpture #creatures #artstudio #whimsical #claycreations
The making of... #zandrascreations #clay #sculpture #swan #bird #artistsoninstagram #whimsical #pottery
A second one takes shape...
Actually I prefer her to yesterday’s effort, which ended up as My Little Pony. The horror.
#zandrascreations #horse #clay #sculptures #artistsoninstagram #quirkycreatures #handmade #art
At last, at last...edging back into my studio after an emotional absence of almost ten months. #zandrascreations
Roger Rhino
Conspicuous, considerate, confident and kind. Changed his name by deed poll. (Don’t ask.) Knows a thing or two about gravy.
16cm x 28cm
#zandrascreations #sculpture #ceramics #creature #clay #whimsical #rhino
Little Bo Sheep
Has a friend called Mary. Hopes the Royal Baby will be more of a Kevin. Wishes she was secretly married to Jude.
7cm x 11cm
#zandrascreations #sculpture #sheep #whimsical #clay #creature #ceramics #ceramicglaze
Esme Elly
Enjoys creeping up on people, sharing sashimi and going for broke. Is older than you think.
37cm x 23cm
#zandrascreations #creatures #sculpture #art #clay #ceramics #whimsical #elephant #creation
Harry Horse
Avid collector of spoons, stamps and aphorisms. There is truth in wine and children is his second favourite.
24cm x 22cm
#zandrascreations #creation #ceramics #sculptures #creatures #clay #whimsical #horses #art
Pembroke de Percival-Poodle-Buttridge (Percy to his friends).
Partial to primroses, perambulators and posh nannies. Currently living in reduced circumstances.
25cm x 21cm
#zandrascreations #sculptures #whimsical #dogsofinstagram #poodle #clay #ceramics #creatures #creation
Fresh out of the kiln, after first firing. Now to glaze before firing again. It’s the bit I least like doing. Glazing, that is. Ugh.
#zandrascreations #clay #ceramics #whimsical #creature #sculpture #animals #animalsofinstagram
Billy Boxer
Bendy, boisterous, bouncy and brown. Bakes banana bread like no other. Almost joined the foreign legion but knows the sky’s the limit.
28cm x 24cm
#zandrascreations #clay #ceramics #sculpture #art #dogsofinstagram #boxer
Help!
#internationalpolarbearday
#zandrascreations #polarbear #sculpture #clay #whimsical #creature #ceramics
Blog
Time flies…
So… summer swept by in a blur of guests, Scottish holidays, and small children. And now comes the time of reckoning. I have a show next weekend and am starting to panic. Do I have enough stock? How much is enough? Will people come? Will they like what they see? Will there be enough to drink? How much is enough. And round and round I go in circles.
The kiln is working full time. Here is what came out of it today. I’m quite pleased.
Fat cats
I’m into making fat cats. Could this be something to do with our own, live, specimens I wonder?
Note tiny amount of space left on table…
Note how tolerant we are of tiny amount of space left.
Ho hum.
Blur
The last couple of months have passed in a blur… of family, friends, Christmas, kids, snow… and I’ve spent precious little time in my studio. Not that I regret it. Family is heap big fun!
I did make time however to finish a little whippet for my old and very dear friend Sabine. Sabine and I worked together in Paris back in the 70s, where she led me astray on all sorts of escapades. She has always had whippets, hence the choice of beast. (more…)
Delightful Dinard
Well…what to say? My show went well, the venue (18th Century anglican church) was beautiful, the sun shone, the people, if not flocked, certainly flowed, funds were raised and the nightlife was lively.
Too late… you missed it!!
If you’ve never been to Dinard: go! It’s really pretty, loads of charm, on the sea, packed with little art galleries and brocantes, cafés and delicious sea-food restaurants.
Oh to be by the sea
Anyway, back to the show… It all went off without a hitch: Carolyn had done a great job preparing publicity, food, and drink; Chantal — a seriouly talented local sculptor (www.chantalblanchy.com) who also happens to be my youngest niece Jo’s mother-in-law (still with me?) — lent me stands; friends Mags, Caroline et al rallyed round to help set up; and Father Gareth let me take over the whole church (to the surprise of many French visitors who couldn’t see the Catholic Church allowing such a thing!) before using me as the subject of his Sunday sermon (graven images? idols?). I came home all fired up (hoho). It’s a huge confidence boost when total strangers admire your work.
holy sheep
Hallelujah
people actually turn up!
total strangers
Would I do it again? You bet!
ponder…