As part of Derby Book Festival, I facilitated a 45 minute hands-on workshop inviting young artists to bring their imagination to life by sculpting unique characters from air-dry clay.
Inspired by their local environment or people and things they love, participants first sketched their ideas using a guided template before shaping their creations. With step-by-step demonstrations, they learned how to build basic forms, add personality and emotion, and decorate their characters with fine details.
Each child then introduced their clay companion, giving them a name and sharing a short story about their new creation. At the end of the session, they proudly took their characters home, fostering a love for storytelling, creativity and hands-on making.
