Ancient Vibes, Hidden Code in Air Dry Clay

A few weeks ago, my sadness and frustration with the world had only one therapy: squishing clay.

It started super simply—air dry clay mixed with a couple of acrylic paints (mostly gray, tiny bit of black). I mashed it all together until it got this really nice marbled look, then rolled it out and cut it to size. I tried not to fuss with it too much so the pits, rough edges, and weird little imperfections stayed intact. That’s what gives it that worn, almost ancient feel.

After it dried, I went in with gel pens and started making marks. At first it just looks abstract, but it actually has words of political resistance written in binary code. Kind of hidden in plain sight.

I painted the inside of the frame a complementary color, and the whole thing ended up feeling way more solid and substantial than I expected. It looks like some kind of tablet you’d find in a cave somewhere, with a message you have to decode.

I’ve used air dry clay for years in mosaics and jewelry, and I’ve made things like luminaries and brush holders—but I don’t think I’ve ever really let it be the main surface like this. And now I’m kind of obsessed. It’s lightweight, affordable, dries fast… and sometimes you just need to sit there and squish clay around for a while.

This one hit that spot.