Q&A with Red & Main

1). What can I say? Your clay creations are just so friggin’ awesome. I really want to start a collection! So, where does the name, “Red & Main” come from?
It's a fairly convoluted story.  I was thinking of names for my store and my top option was Ceramasaurus Rex.  A friend also suggested Kiln Me Softly, which earned big points for punny-ness. I thought about both of those names and then imagined myself doing an interview (like this one). While both names were super fun, it was also impossible to take me seriously when I thought about them like that.  So, I started brainstorming again.  My husband's last name begins with "R" and mine begins with "M".  I started thinking of things about myself that made me unique that began with "R" or "M".  My bright, Special FX brand hair was obviously the first thing that came to mind.  So, there was "Red" and the "Main" just came naturally.  

2). Yetis, Bigfoot, Green Globs of Candy-Loving Happiness and two-toed sloths. What other mythological and/or peculiar creatures are on the agenda? Perhaps a griffin? ;)  
I'm working on two new projects right now.  The first is a series I call "Emoti-Monsters," which are little blob monsters expressing one type of emotion or action.  Thus far, I've completed sculpting Joy, Contentment, and Deviousness, but I have lots of others planned. The second is a project that involves things that scare me, or used to scare me as a child.  I take those scary things and create new, cuter versions of them.  There was a cartoon Jackalope (One Eyed Jack from Tiny Toon Adventures if anyone is wondering how a Jackalope could possibly be scary ... look him up) that scared the piss out of me when I was little.  The new, adorable Jackalope is in my kiln right now for his glaze firing.  It's nice to be able to associate new things with thoughts that aren't positive. And ... there might be a griffin in my kiln. Maybe.  Who knows.  

3). Can you tell us a little bit about your creative process? For example, do you sketch your critters before sculpting them, or do you just dive right in?
I love making lists, so I usually have a working list of the items I'm looking to create.  I'll pick one item from the list, grab a lump of clay, roll it into a ball and start in. Usually, I can tell right away where features should go and how the little guy will take shape.  I'm not much of a illustrator (but I desperately wish that I was) so drawing in advance would be a little silly.  Maybe that could be a new featured series for me:  Things Made From Clay and Poorly Drawn on Paper.  

4). What three words would you use to describe your craft?  

I think I'd pick challenging, supremely enjoyable and consuming.  

5). Where can we find your craft outside the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market?  
I can be found on Etsy.  I'm also on my blog.  My pieces can be viewed via Etsy Mini there, too.  

Random Bonus Question: Who would win in a fight--a yeti or a ninja panda? 
 I babysat a friend's son last year and we watched Kung Fu Panda multiple times for six hours straight.  Needless to say, this experience taught me that Ninja Pandas are not to be taken lightly.  So, I'm going with Ninja Panda for the win in the Yeti/Panda match up.  Plus, Yetis are slow ... and want hugs. I doubt their tubby little arms would be suited for 12 rounds of panda throw down.