Lee Kendall sculpts “Snoods Snake Oil.” Photo by Kristina Rogers

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - There comes a point when adulting has worn thin and one is ready to become re-acquainted with their inner child. 

That is undoubtedly true for four artists from Land Park, Pocket and Woodside who have put their fingers back in the mud.

It all began when Paula Swayne, Patti Heimlich, Sandy Calhoun and Lee Kendall took clay classes together at Alpha Fire Arts. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic closed the studio, they found another way to work in clay. 

Patty Heimlich works on her frog. Photo by Kristina Rogers

"First, we went to the park, then my backyard. When the weather stopped cooperating, we found a new place," Swayne said.

Swayne is a real estate agent with Dunnigan Realtors and the Freeport building had a free space upstairs. The women cleared out the room and organized their desks. 

Today, the artists meet every Monday at the Mudbuddies studio that opened in 2021. Guests who visit can find the creative energy palpable.

Swayne has a Bachelor of Science degree in art from Oregon State University. She worked with bronze until the Great Recession and then switched to clay. Asked what her favorite subjects are, Swayne said, "I sculpt animals. Fairly realistic. It's my favorite thing to do."

“Funny birds” is by Lee Kendall. Photo by Kristina Rogers

Heimlich, who likes to say her last name is spelled like the maneuver, was sculpting a large whimsical frog. Clay has always been her creative outlet, but Heimlich left it behind for family and work. 

Heimlich explains her journey back to clay: "I got laid off and started dreaming in clay. So, I got a block of it and experimented with it. Then got another job as an office manager and forgot about it for another 10 years." 

But adult obligations began to weigh on Heimlich.

"I was taking care of my parents and my husband noticed I needed a stress reliever, so he signed me up for classes at Alpha Fire and I've been doing it ever since," Heimlich said.

Here is a whimsical piece by Sandy Calhoun. Photo by Sandy Calhoun

Alpha Fired Arts is located at 4675 Aldona Lane in North Highlands.

Heimlich began with faces and portraits and then shifted to animals, such as the frog she was working on.

"I do things that make me happy, plus they sell better," Heimlich said.

Kendall retired from Aerospace as a master planner and production control manager and said that her career was all about practicality. 

"I have worked very hard not to do practical things," Kendall said, as she embraced her free spirit. 

“One’s Not Like the Others” is by Paula Swayne. Photo by Paula Swayne

"I like to say I'm older than dirt,” Kendall said. “When the rain came, it got the dirt muddy; I realized you could make things with it."  

Kendall's subjects range from animated birds and people to roly-poly cats and dogs. Kendall also creates little fish on plant spikes that she calls "fish sticks." 

Her inspiration can come from anywhere. 

"I'm working on this truck, which I call ‘Snood's Snake Oil,’" Kendall giggled. "A cartoon inspired the car, but I'm trying to remember which one." 

Calhoun likes to say, "For me, it was love at first touch." 

Calhoun spent four years at San Francisco State University studying graphic arts but after an introductory clay class at Chico State, went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Art degree in ceramics. 

“Girl and flowers” is by Patti Heimlich. Photo by Kristina Rogers

Calhoun became a sixth-grade teacher and her passion for clay remained on the backburner until she retired in 2012. Today, Calhoun has a home studio with a kiln in Woodland. She looks forward to driving to the Mudbuddies studio and hanging out with her friends once a week. 

Calhoun talked about her relationship with clay and creating, "I love it but I also hate it. Sometimes, it has a mind of its own. It's like a willful child. You think you're making a mouse and then it turns out to be a frog." 

The other women laugh because they know the feeling. Swayne said, "I'll come back from lunch and think, ‘Wow, what was I doing?’ We don't feel bad telling each other what's not working. We bounce off each other."

“Litte Big Man” is by Sandy Calhoun. Photo by Sandy Calhoun

Calhoun said, "I get inspiration from everywhere. You don't have to work hard at it, only open up to what's around you. Once you tap into that creative energy, it flows."  

"We are not like the potters who use wheels. That's a bit too 'science-y' or serious for us," Calhoun said.

The group prefers the free form work of hand sculpting. 

The women rely on a childlike curiosity to get their ideas. Sometimes, it's a dream or a pattern on the wall. At other times, it's interesting people or even a piece of art in an office. Whatever they make, no piece is like the other. And although the ideas get a bit muddy, what’s clear is that the women will continue to meet on Mondays and play together. 

The Mudbuddies studio is open to the public during Verge Sac Open Studios, taking place on the weekend of Sept. 13. Individuals can learn about upcoming art showings for Calhoun at sandycalhoun.com. The public can reach out to Swayne to schedule a visit to the Mudbuddies studio at [email protected]