Clay Figurines Scavenger Hunt
Artist Residency at Antonie-Leins House
Horb am Neckar, Germany, 2022

In 2022, I was honored to undertake my second Artist Residency in Germany, this time at the Antonie-Leins House in the picturesque village of Horb am Neckar. It was a time of immersion, exploration, and creative exploration—one that would inspire a new project rooted in community interaction and discovery.

One of the ideas that took shape during my time there was the Clay Figurines Scavenger Hunt, a project designed to engage the local community in an unexpected, playful, and intimate way. The concept was simple: I would create a series of small clay figurines and discreetly place them around the village for locals to find. These figurines, some abstract and others inspired by people I met during my stay, would serve as a form of creative exchange between myself and the town. Each figurine was meant to be a surprise—a miniature artwork in the hands of a lucky discoverer.

The figurines themselves were intentionally rough, impressionistic, and fragile. They were sculpted in a gestural, almost spontaneous way—abstract little figures that echoed the fleeting nature of moments, conversations, and experiences. I chose not to fire the clay, which meant the figures were left in their raw, earthy state. This decision was symbolic: if a figurine wasn’t found and taken indoors, it would eventually disintegrate, returning to the earth. In this way, the project reflected the impermanence of human existence—how all things, including art, are subject to the forces of time and nature.

In the last week of July 2022, I placed nearly two dozen of these tiny sculptures throughout Horb, leaving them in parks, alleyways, and hidden corners—places where they might go unnoticed or be stumbled upon by chance. The excitement that followed was palpable as the villagers embarked on a public art scavenger hunt. The discovery of each figurine was a moment of connection and delight—an unexpected gift that sparked curiosity, conversation, and a shared sense of wonder.

This project was as much about the process of creating and sharing as it was about the art itself. By placing these fragile figures in public spaces, I wanted to foster a sense of community and to make art accessible in a personal, immediate way. It was my hope that, in some small way, the figurines would act as a bridge—linking me, the artist, to the town of Horb and to its people.

The Clay Figurines Scavenger Hunt was a celebration of creativity, spontaneity, and the joy of discovery, capturing the essence of a moment, a place, and the people who inhabit it.

Bonnie Lee Turner
bt@bonnieleeturner.com