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 10th-century château in a small village in the Jura Mountains*, 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.
*Come and stay in our guest rooms at www.chateaudesothonod.com and discover the sources of my inspiration.
Quel magnifique endroit ! J’y expose mes sculptures avec les aquarelles de Gary Bayliss et de Guy Smith (du mercredi au dimanche, 15h à 19h, jusqu’au 18 août.) Je vous promets que ça vaut le détour. Merci encore à la mairie de Champdor-Corcelles🙏🏼
#zandrascreations #champdor 1#ceramicsculptures #sculpturesanimalières #garybaylissart #guy1970_ #chateaudechampdor #ain #valromey #plateaudehauteville #hautbugey #cocorico #cockerel
Trois poules sur un mur, qui picotent du pain dur, picoti picota et tralala…
I had three little hens, the prettiest ever seen, they washed me the dishes, and kept the house clean (I wish🤣).
Retrouvez-les au Château de Champdor du 17 juillet au 18 août.
#zandrascreations #pottery #clay #clayart #poules #chateaudechampdor #whimsicalcreatures #ceramicsculptures #ceramicanimalsculpture #chickensofinstagram #hautbugey #ceramique #animauxceramique
Getting ready for our next show together @ Château de Champdor 17 July to 18 August
On prépare notre prochaine expo ensemble @ Château de Champdor du 17 juillet au 18 août
Photo: Olivier Fischer
#zandrascreations #garybaylissart #guy1970_ #chateaudechampdor #sculpturesanimalières #ceramicanimalsculpture #ceramicsculptureart #ceramic #ceramicartist #valromey #hautbugey
Ave…homine…nunc…nostra…amat…
Pro…dictus…quid…ipsum…nisi…
Wait…WHAT?
Que quoi? COMMENT??
Le gang des pingouins (9cm de haut) fera son début au Château de Champdor: vernissage le 17 juillet dès 17h.
The penguin gang (9cm high) will be making its first appearance at the Chateau de Champdor: opening night 17 July from 17h
#zandrascreations #sculptures #penguins #sculpturesofinstagram #ceramicsculpture #clayartist #clayart #sculpturesanimalières #whimsicalart #pingouin #terrecuite #animalsculptureart #claycreations #garybaylissart #chateaudechampdor
Ma tête dans Ballad’Ain…yes!!
Merci au photographe Frédéric Scali (non, ce ne fut pas un lapin🤣), merci à l’Office de Tourisme du Bugey Sud, merci surtout à Fabienne, elle-même potière talentueuse…et merci à tous mes visiteurs qui m’ont portée avec leur enthousiasme.
##zandrascreations #animalceramics #oursbrun #oursceramique #whimsicalcreatures #sculpturesanimalières #claysculptures #scalifrederic #fabceramic #bugeysudtourisme
J’ai eu le plaisir d’être invitée par l’Office de Tourisme Bugey Sud Grand Colombier à participer aux visites-découvertes « Les Pieds dans le Local » — avec portes ouvertes de mon atelier et démonstration de modelage. C’est la première fois que je fais ça : vraiment sympa malgré une légère angoisse au départ ! En effet : réaliser une sculpture en 90 minutes et devant une dizaine de personnes… pas évident😅Mais bon, on a bien rigolé.
#zandrascreations #officedetourismebugeysud #officetourismebugey #bugey #bugeysudtourisme #sculptures #modelage #clayanimals #artisanatdart #lespiedsdanslelocal
A menagerie of small creatures is gathering, soon to be fired, glazed and fired again.
#zandrascreations #claycreatures #smallsculptures #ceramicanimalsculpture #ceramicsculptureart #ceramic #ceramicart #quirkyanimals #quirkyart #claydog #claycat #clayhorse #penguins #claycreatures
See these and other creatures at l’Espace Aguascalientes, Champagne en Valromey, until 29 October. Don’t miss the show!
Venez voir la Vie Sauvage à l’espace Aguascalientes, Champagne en Valromey, jusqu’au 29 octobre. Ne ratez pas l’expo !
#zandrascreations #garybaylissart #aguascalientes_espasso #clayart #clayartist #sculptures #whimsicalcreatures #ceramique #lynx #panda #cheval #levrierirlandais #irishwolfhound #unicorn #bear #ours #moose #runningduck #elan #valromey
I’m really excited about my next show, in the company of talented artist Gary Bayliss, at Espace Aguascalientes in Champagne-en-Valromey (Ain), from 13 to 29 October.
Opening night Friday 13 October (auspicious date 🤩) from 17h.
Bring your friends!
#zandrascreations #garybaylissart #clayart #claysculptures #ceramicart #ceramiques #whimsicalanimals #peintures #terrecuite #sculptures champagneenvalromey #animauxterrecuite #aguascalientes_espasso #bugey #wildlife #laviesauvage
Blog
To Brittany we will go…
My next show looms: I’ll be installing my critters inside St Bartholomew, the anglican church of Dinard (Brittany), for showing on Saturday 5 October (10h to 18h), during the week-long British Film Festival. Come and join us if you’re in the area. The vernissage is Friday evening, 18h to 20h. I’m hoping to raise funds for the church… The Rev Gareth is most enthusiastic and supportive.
And thanks to my friend Carolyn — whose idea this was and who is busy organising everything from food (and drink) to footfall — a journalist from Ouest France, France’s biggest daily, rang me yesterday for an interview! I babbled on about England, France, animals and pottery and hoped to make some sense. He wasn’t sure it would be published (maybe when I mentioned my ancestors came from Transylvania?), but what a larf if it is.
This little fella is coming on the road with me….hot out of the kiln.
Raging Bull
Bear with me…
Some of my best friends are bears. Or at least one is. (You know who you are, babe.) So I’ve just finished making a big burly beast of a bear. I’m not yet sure whether he’s (she’s?) a polar or a brown. Time (and glaze) will tell. S/he’s drying slowly in my studio. It was surprisingly quick to make…everything came together really well, the legs immediately looked like bear-legs, the face like a bear-face. It’s funny how that happens sometimes, everything just, kinda, works…whereas others are the fruit of a protracted struggle. Hmmm.
Rye report
My daughter has FINALLY sent me the photos she took at my last show, just outside Rye, on 13 April.
My favourite art collector
I exhibited chez close pals Patricia & John, alongside lovely-and-talented painter Hollie Garrett, and considering that it all took place in the worst weather known to man (torrential rain, bitter cold, mud up to your chin…you get the picture), it was immensely humbling and gratifying that so many friends and friends-of-friends and family turned up. I thank you all for your support.
Penguin eavesdropping
Gratified artist
Lauren with my old school friends
Iris and me
As it was a nice day on Tuesday, I drove up to the Château de Vullierens to see the irises. I last went with Nikki B, some 20 or so years ago. Sadly though, as it’s been the coldest-May-since-records-began, few of the irises were in flower this time…
kaleidoscope iris
We had lunch outside…and then it started to rain. Of course.
So I came home and finished a kittycat. You like?
One good thing about the weather; the ONLY good thing about the weather… I’m not torn between being outside, tending to my poor, waterlogged, slug-infested garden — and sitting, dreaming, playing, creating stuff in my studio. It’s a no-brainer.
WANT MORE BLOG POSTS ?
Check out my www.winewidowandsong.org
Want More Pottery?
Check out the site of my friend Michèle Riedo