revisiting old work-carolina box turtle

Carolina Box Turtle 

 created as an assignment 

Ceramics I  class in college

made life size

using photos

and shells found in the woods around home

 glazes  mixed to match

 colors of the shell and body
he was displayed in a ceramic vise
drawing attention to
pressure from human encroachment into his environment
the ceramic vise was later broken accidentally
the pressure it symbolize unfortunately remains

one of my favorite creatures
slow, persistent, self protective
disappearing at an alarming rate
threatened by human encroachment
roads, logging, cars
not nearly as many as just a few years ago