My piece Butter Days has multiple inspirations or messages, all tied together by the sentiment that there will be better days ahead. Butter Days serves as a memorial for two past feline friends, both of whom had a love of dairy, and unfortunately, major health deterioration, leading to their passing. I intend to give this piece to my mom for her birthday. No matter how rough things may be for us, when I feel I might drown under the pressure of life, or when I feel hopelessly lost, she’s always been there to tell me there will be better days. I started from a solid form to keep structural integrity as I worked on the anatomy of the clay cat, deciding to carve out the center once all the details had been finalized. For the head, I made two pinch pots. I used additive and subtractive elements while keeping feline anatomy in mind. Once leather hard, I refined with a loop tool, hollowing and refining. I decided to use underglaze, as it provided me the flexibility to blend colors.