Burk'Art Nativities are beautiful, hand-formed clay pieces. The nativity is derived from antiques and other treasures that span 5 generations from the Burkhart family. Each nativity piece is begun with a slab of damp clay, textures are embedded, shapes cut, then the clay is draped. The nativity takes shape.
Finger prints and "life lines" from the construction remain as the human signature. The finger prints can be found anywhere. The lifelines are usually on the backside where the "body" was cradled in one hand, and the robes were folded with the other hand. The Textures:
-Joseph's robe is impressed with a cut-glass salt shaker.:
-Mary's robe is lace.:
-Baby Jesus' swaddling cloth texture is embedded with a fruit strainer.:
-The kneeling shepherd's robe is impressed with chair caning.:
-The wise men's robes have window hardware and a button impression.:
-The manger is impressed with old barn wood.:
-The donkey texture is from a mold of a 1947 Willy's jeep tire.:
-The camel's texture is a wooden block stamp.:
-The ram's texture is a Georgia peach pit.:
-The ewe's texture is the butt end of a cinnamon stick.:
-The lamb's texture is an earring finding.:
-The black sheep/grandmother's favorite has an earring texture.
