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Make Your Own Goofus

May 3, 2020
A boy and his father sculpting objects with clay

The Gardiner’s collection is full of fun and interesting objects that you can make using common household materials. One of our favourites is Goofus by Erica Deichmann-Gregg and Kjeld Deichmann.

A ceramic llama-like figurine

The Deichmanns were a husband and wife team who ran Canada’s first pottery studio, located in New Brunswick, from 1935 to 1963. The Goofus, a llama or deer-like creature, was one of Erica’s most famous designs and featured in many of her works. Scroll to the bottom of the page to watch a video made by the Deichmanns at their studio in 1953.

But first, want to make your own Goofus? Here’s how…

You can also download the instructions as a PDF

Materials:

  • Recycled materials from your blue box. We used, 2 small plastic bottles, an egg carton, and a brown paper bag
  • Masking tape
  • White glue
  • 2 paper towel sheets
  • Acrylic paint
  • Paper mache paste. Just mix water and flour together until you have a watery pudding with a paste-like consistency
  • Markers
  • Scissors

Instructions:

Look through your blue box for materials to use.

Paint, tape, egg carton, and plastic bottles on a table

Have an adult help you cut up the materials to the size and shape you want. You should cut pieces for the head, ears, neck, body, and legs.

Cut up water bottles and egg carton, alongside tape and scissors

Use the masking tape to attach the pieces together in the shape of the Goofus. They will be glued more strongly later on.

Pieces of plastic bottles and an egg carton taped together

Rip the paper towels into strips and dip them into the paper mache paste. Wipe off any excess paste or drips and cover your object with the strips, like bandages.

Hands dipping paper towel strips in paste

Place your object in a warm dry space and let it set.

Rip the brown paper bag into strips. Cover one side of the strip with a thin coating of glue. We suggest using a paintbrush for this step. Cover your Goofus in the strips, just like you did with the paper towel.

Llama-like figure covered in brown paper strips

Let it dry.

Use paint and markers to decorate your Goofus.

Llama-like paper mache creature surrounded by art materials

Take a photo of your work and share it using #GardinerFromHome.

Watch:

Enjoy this short film featuring the Deichmanns. In it, a boy named Peter accidentally breaks a glass bowl intended as a birthday gift for his mother so the Deichmanns make him one of their designs. Discover each stage, from the first turn of the potter’s wheel to the final glazing and baking.

Details

Venue