the past six or seven years, the pair have been making their
tiny, brightly- colored animal creations which have grown
into collectors' items among area students.
The whimsical creatures, Eric Wakar said, are always on
the same general idea and in the same style but they have
gottenbetter andmore sophisticatedduring the years.
“It's an ever-evolving collection,” he said. Each of the lit-
tle creations is hand-made individually by the brothers.
“We always have at least five to 10 newpieces a year,” Joe
said.
The boys make about 500 individual pieces in various
sizes including the tiny creations that snap onto key chains
that have caught the interest of young collectors who put
themon their backpacks. Dozens of fans make a point of vis-
iting their booth every year to seewhat is newandwhat they
can add to their collections.
“The dogs sell out every year,” Joe Wakar said, “and the
turtles are probably the most popular. They come in all col-
ors, orange, yellow, even tye-dye shells and they appeal to
everybody.”
The appeal is so strong that one year the boys ran out of
figures and had tomakemore for sale the next day. It wasn't
too difficult a job, they agreed, becausewith their “assembly
line” techniques, they can complete 20 or so of the figures in
anhour, after the designwork is complete.
They said that the more intricate designs they do take
more time. Each of the creations begins with a pea-size
sphere, then takes on individual characteristics. “We try,
sometimes, to do themes,”Eric said, “like yellowandblue.”
Making the clay figures is really a cooperative effort, Joe
conditions the clay and runs it through a pasta machine,
Page 6
Brothers,
from page 5
See
Brothers,
page 8
