About this Product
Abby and the Gang was created using resilient Cosclay. To create this Giraffe I first created a form using foil and wires. I wrapped and compressed sheets of Cosclay around the foil and went to work hand constructing the head, and legs. She was cured in the oven several times as I made progress through her construction. Once the curing process was finished I went to work painting Abby with multiple coats of acrylics in a variety of colors and adding gold tones to the birds as well as Abby's hooves. And then final coats of polyurethane varnish. She's able to stand securely on her base thanks to heavy gauge armature wire that sinks from the bottom of her hooves down into the wooden base. Abby has a crew of Tick Birds as her traveling companions.
Abby and the Gang is on hand and ready to ship. If she calls out to you, there's no wait!
*Even though this giraffe is adorable, she's not meant for small children, this is not a toy.
** Also please be sure that this sculpture is kept out of the elements.
*** Ships at no extra charge if within the contiguous U.S.
10" W x 14" H x 3.5" D
Judy B Freeman
Meet the Maker
Like a lot of artists and crafters, I've been making things from a young age. My family moved around a lot because my dad was in the service, so I was the "new kid" more than just once. I discovered that art and craft projects helped to keep me busy if we moved to a new town during the Summer months. During college I discovered 3-D art and got hooked first on sculpting and then on ceramic art. I graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts and, as many can relate, I got a regular job or 3 or 5 and my art projects were relegated to hobby status. After a life of not making art my first priority, I was able to switch gears. First I concentrated on being a ceramic artist and potter, creating functional ware as well as whimsical sculptural pieces. Then as the 50 pound boxes of clay got heavier and heavier, I decided that I needed a plan to help save my back. So I started doing research and started working with polymer clay. I retired my potters wheel and traded 50 pound boxes of clay for 8 pound boxes of clay. I made the total migration several years ago. Then in 2020 a new product in the polymer category was released, called Cosclay. It's a hybrid plastic - rubber clay and like polymer bakes in the oven, but Cosclay is quite resilient. Cosclay can stand up to the rigors of shipping across country and I've even dropped pieces without any breakage. I continue my artistic journey and have had fun selling on other marketplaces like Etsy and wholesale to galleries and shops across the country through the IndieMe website. Now the Goimagine website calls to my desire to help make a difference with my art. To be part of a truly handmade marketplace and reconnect with humans across the country.
I have a couple of "claims to fame". In 2007 a filming crew came to my home studio and filmed a 7 minute segment for an HGTV show called That's Clever! I demonstrated from start to finish how I made a ceramic cat bank. It took 2 years for the show to finally air and what an experience that was. My next claim to fame was also when I was still working in ceramic clay. I loved to make fish teapots. Three of my fish teapots were purchased by the Kamm Foundation Teapot Collection, the world's largest collection of teapots. I've had pieces, both ceramic as well as polymer in a variety of group exhibitions and have been fortunate enough to meet a lot of really great people in the process. My motto: keep learning, keep making.
Thanks for visiting - any questions, please don't hesitate to send me a message.
How it’s Made
I start out with a block of clay (Cosclay) and begin by slicing, then dicing in an electric chopper, then balling, then smashing, then rolling, rolling, rolling. I slab the clay down to about 4 mm and then make a form called an armature that's made up on aluminum foil as well as armature wires. I wrap sheets of clay around the form that's the body as well as neck. Wrapping and smoothing and wrapping and smoothing. then making and adding the 4 legs. The giraffe gets its first bake then I go to work on the head, adding clay here and there, carving and adding and poking holds, then it gets baked again. I add more clay to beef up the muscles, add the hooves and ears and the giraffe gets baked again. I then go to work painting and for this abstract Abby it's a lot of fun to add colors along with gold metalic paint. After painting I add 2-3 coats of varnish and then finally make the wire tail and glue in place and add wires for eyelashes as well as to the ossicones. I make the birds, paint and varnish the birds and glue them in place. Last thing is to prep the base, drill holes and epoxy glue the legs in place. In a nutshell that's hours and hours of work to create Abby and her Gang (of tick birds).
Shop Policies
REFUNDS/EXCHANGES: It's important to me that you are 100% pleased with your purchase. If after receipt and inspection, for any reason, you are not happy with your order, please contact me within 14 days. We can make arrangements to either exchange or refund. Return shipment costs will be paid by the customer. And the amount refunded will be the total cost of goods purchased, not to include the initial shipping charges. CANCELLATIONS: Orders may be cancelled at any time prior to the order being shipped, and full refund will be processed. Exception to this policy would be if the items are customized especially for the customer, and work has begun.
GIFTS: Special conditions regarding items purchased as a gift. If the giftee (person receiving the gift) requests to return the item(s) I will direct the giftee to contact the giftor. I will await instructions from the customer that purchased the gift. Same Conditions apply as shown above in Refunds/Exchanges Section.
DAMAGED IN TRANSIT: NOTIFY ME WITHIN 3 DAYS OF YOUR RECEIPT OF THE PURCHASE OF ANY DAMAGE. KEEP ALL BOXES AND PACKING MATERIALS SO THAT A CLAIM CAN BE FILED
*At this time I only ship within the United States
**All images are the property of Judith B. Freeman, LLC and may not be copied without written permission.
