Ice Baby bisque-fired for Perin and Kath's new baby

Hello everyone. Today, I would like to share the photos of Perin's Ice baby, just fresh from the kiln yesterday morning. I call him Ice baby, but he is a guardian for babies and children. The story about the first Ice baby is here. He and his friend are in my shop, if you are interested in him. When Perin and his wife Kath realized that they are going to be parents, he requested me to make a special guardian for their baby, due in January. I used a new wooden spoon to make his shape because I thought it symbolizes the very beginning of the a new person and also because it is Japanese custom to use new wooden tools for something good.

Ice baby for Perin's Bub

I made him while I imagined all hope and love the baby is going to receive from their loving parents as well as extended family and friends. With each tapping sound I made with the new wooden spoon, I pushed my good wishes into Ice baby. I felt each tap made the Ice baby potent.

Because of some Skype problem, I received Perin's wishes about what symbols they like to use for decoration several weeks later. I kept the Ice baby in the fridge to prevent him drying out. They wanted birds, feathers and flowers. So I decorated the body like this.

Feather on one side

Then I thought I finished decoration and left the baby to dry in the room. But the next day I added more on the other side. By then the clay was getting a bit too dry, so I could only scratch the surface but I hope it will be enough to retain colours in grooves, after I put some glaze.  

The other side

It has been so special to make him. I hope the baby will appreciate how much his or her father and mother would look forward to the birth once the little new life has become old enough to understand.

I will do finishing on him and hopefully he will be glaze-fired next week. All my love to you, the new lucky baby!