Sloths, primates and pigs were the animals that seem most appropriate to make out of papier mache. Pictures of wild pigs were hard to come by. The only warthog I could find was a stuffed one in the Natural History Museum in San Francisco. Later, I saw a stuffed barbirussa at the Smithsonian. So I was forced to make up my own. This was one of those.

Some people think these guys look sad but I think that they are oblivious to the snow since they know that there is a pile of snacks near by.

The small baboons that were made in Regina are quite sturdy as they were solidly covered with kimpak, watercolored and finally painted with urethane to protect them.

I saw some fine baboons at the St. Louis Zoo. It made me think of how I would deal with tails. In clay, tails like antlers are difficult to deal with.

These baboons are posing under a stand of bamboo in my backyard in San Jose. Papier mache is a great medium, but best done in summer when it is dry. Otherwise, even if you use wheatpaste that had a mold retardant in it, the surface grows its own fur.

Hans seems quite primitive compared to the later much hairy-er pigs. His feet even though now free–standing seem quite delicate.

This first sloth, named after my fellow ceramist, Chris Unterseher, hangs in a tree in my front yard. Again, it is great to be able to make something that you can carry around in one hand, something you cannot ask of clay.

This later version of Chris includes the rest of his family.

This is the later, much more sophisticated giant anteater. Though without her bit of ground, she cannot have any ants follow her around. Her baby can be removed and hung on your arm or back.

Several years ago, these were somehow aquired by a couple who immediately wrote and told me that they now owned them. Every year around Groundhog Day they write and tell me what Ralph and Pam have been doing for the past year.