Life-sized whale project leaves students swimming in clay

Frances Correa
Multimedia Editor

Ceramics professor Shay Clay and his students spent approximately six hours pounding clay onto a structure built of wooden planks. In the name of art, the group gathered inside of the lobby of The Fine Arts Building to build Clay’s sixth life-sized grey whale. Clay’s students volunteered for the project of constructing the 50-foot long structure out of wooden planks and clay. In the past five years, Clay has built grey whales in cities like Grand Rapids, Mich. and Phoenix, Az.

According to Clay, the project is a learning experience for both he and his students. Clay said he enjoys building animals like whales, elephants and elk, to represent the symbiotic relationship with animals and nature. The structure will be on display in The Fine Arts Building for the next week.

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