Happy Traps

"Happy Traps."  Dried clay, mousetraps and acrylic on wood.  Nine individual dried, clay sculptures, each melded or sculpted to a mousetrap, attached to a 40 x 50 cm / 15.75 x 19.75" wood canvas. 

Before attaching the figures, the wood was painted with an acrylic background.  The figures are attached to the wood with a strong mounting glue/cement that's rated to handle 300kg/m2 of pressure (see photo).

The figures are made of hobby clay (see photos) and air dried for five days.  They are all coated with two coats of matte, floor glue, which is somewhat like a clear shellac which creates a bit of a sheen but also keeps things together a bit better and adds a slight layer of protection. 

Since the figures are dried clay and not fired ceramics, they are more delicate.  They can't get really wet and they can more easily chip or crack if something hits them.  The purchaser is highly encouraged to hang it on either a wood stud behind the wall with long, thick nails or drilling holes in concrete and inserting plastic anchors before inserting large, thick screws.