Mini Sculptures Made From Mud

Mini Sculptures Made from Mud AG WORLD Ag World 16-4-19 Mud can make a mess of things around the farm, but for making sculptures it can't be beat, says Bonnie Prus, Athertonville, Kty., who transforms mud clay into figures of humans and animals that brim with personality. Prus's self-taught hobby has sprouted into a full-time venture called "Mud Fancies". She sells figures of old mountain women with pipes in their mouths wearing sun bonnets and long dresses while hoeing corn or bending over washtubs. She also makes statuettes of men with straw hats lying back and taking a snooze, and figures of horses, bears, chickens, cats, and turtles. She uses acorn caps for baskets, grass hay string for belts and bucket handles and carves accessories like pipes, rifles and canes from, wood. "I've never had any formal training, and I don't copy from photographs," says Prus. "I just use my imagination and memories of people and places I've seen. It takes about three hours to form each piece." Prus uses clay mud dug from a muddy field next to her home. After the pieces are sculpted, Pius sets them in the sun to dry, or in winter dries them on a wood stove. Thet she coats them with clear glue to preven chipping and a light spray of matte finis' paint to help preserve them. She mount each sculpture on a small, flat rock. Even piece is signed and dated. "Mud Fancies" sell for about $15 each For more information, contact FARN SHOW Followup, Bill and Bonnie Prus 2757 Youngers Creek Road, New Haven Kty. 40051 (ph 502 549-5253).

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