Big and small animal figures
Animals rule okay, says visual artist Helen Burgess of Sussex, Britain, and we can’t really argue with that. She reproduces animals in clay in an effort to appreciate all of the strange and amazing elements of the natural in our planet. Burgess’ business, nosey mungo, takes its name from the phrase her mother would use to describe her when she was younger and acting “a little overly curious.” The designer never outgrew her insatiable curiosity. Her job currently exhibits her childlike sense of wonder. Every painstakingly made animal resembles a holdable figure from a children’s book.
Burgess spent the majority of her time as a kid outside or engrossed in an art project. She says, “David Attenborough films and all by Aardman were my favorite things to watch on TV.” “I was sure I was going to be the next Nick Park,” the author said. The distinctive look Burgess portrays in her clay creatures was shaped by these inspirations. Every figure has a unique, eccentric personality as well as amusing, cartoon-like facial gestures. There is an angry, bloated frog, a comical blobfish, and several chickens that appear astonished. Maybe some of the creatures are built to hold plants or blossoms.
Burgess retains a great deal of dignity and affection for the creatures she depicts in clay, despite the fact that every work is like a parody of its true equivalent. She acquired a love of the outdoors while attending college and pursuing a master’s in ecological surveying. This ultimately led to a fantastic work at the Sussex Wildlife Trust, where I interact with diversity statistics and the technical side of environmental conservation, the artist claims.
Burgess first encountered clay in 2010, whenever the onset of fibromyalgia caused her to cut back on her work schedule. I wanted a fresh focus, and clay was the solution, she says. After taking numerous pottery workshops, I became addicted, and what had first been a pastime suddenly evolved into a successful company.
Burgess has since carried on creating her clay animals on a part-time basis. She can only produce a small number at once because each one requires endless hours to construct, sculpt, fire, and glaze. If you want one of these clay animals for your house, keep a look out for new additions to Burgess’ Etsy shop. See a few examples of her work here.
Ceramic animals made by Helen Burgess (of nosey mungo) are amusing and whimsical.
Every piece of clay has the appearance of a kid’s book character that you can hold in your hands.
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