Most students have hobbies. Some enjoy sports, others reading or maybe writing poetry. However, not all students can say they profit from their interests.

Junior Shayla Cochran enjoys spending her time creating 3-D figurines and selling them to others.

“I’m really in to a wide variety of art,” Cochran said. “After a while I got tired of just doing 2-D artwork and decided to learn how to do more 3-D stuff. I’ve always loved working with the clay you fire in a kiln and the stuff I work with now is pretty similar to that.”

Cochran finds creating the figurines to be a form of entertainment.

“It’s something to do when I’m bored,” Cochran said.

Admitting that it takes work to perfect the technique, Cochran says she had to learn an entirely new sculpting style to create her projects

“I originally would see pictures on the internet of people making stuff out of this oven-bake clay and I thought it looked fun so I bought some from Wal-Mart,” Cochran said. “Over a few years I learned new techniques and that has been the basis for my overall sculpting style.”

Cochran says she makes her larger sculptures about once every two weeks.

“I make the little charms and figurines more often,” Cochran said. “Sometimes I make two a week. It ultimately depends on when someone has commissioned something from me as well.”

Although Cochran makes figurines frequently, she finds herself creating a certain type of creature.

“I’ve always liked animals and fantasy creatures so that’s what I sculpt most of the time,” Cochran said.

To purchase one of Cochran’s creations, one can contact her personally or make an order through her “Simply Squee” Facebook group page.

“I sell my figurines for anywhere from three to $27,” Cochran said.

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