Octopus Explosion and the Martime Fest

What you are looking at above is my second octopus. Yes, the first octopus that I was so happy about turned out to have some major design flaws and the tentacles were too delicate and flimsy.

So I started over. And I didn't have time to use air-drying clay, so I used Sculpey instead. And worked on it until after midnight last night and popped it into the oven and after about 16 minutes took it out to discover the head had exploded.

Yes, exploded. It didn't crumble apart; pieces flew off of it.

I used Styrofoam for the interior of the head and I am guessing it just expanded in the heat or something because pieces were all over in the oven.

So I took a deep breath and went to bed (and didn't sleep very well) and got up this morning at 7:30 and patched it and allowed for expansion room and poked a couple holes in the head to allow out gases if that was what the problem was and this time he turned out fine.

So I painted, painted, painted this morning and then varnished and hit him with a hair dryer and got him delivered to the Maritime Fest with time to spare. Phew.

Here's how he looks on site. I was going to have him hanging off of the anchor, but realized you couldn't see his face and that this would be better. The orange and red really pop out.

Twelve artists in all decorated/modified anchors for this event. This mermaid is by the ever talented Jennifer Weddermann-Hay.

And this postcard to Tacoma is by my friend Dave.
All the anchors looked completely different. I am excited to see what prizes they hand out tomorrow.

Get yourself down to Tacoma's Maritime Fest this weekend at Thea Park!