When Thailand-based ceramicist Trevor Foster stepped into his outdoor studio one afternoon, he expected another peaceful day of crafting pottery. But as he checked a mold he’d just poured liquid clay into, something about it didn’t look quite right.
“At first, I thought the mold was just bubbling — or maybe leaking at the bottom,” Foster told The Dodo.
But as he leaned closer, he saw something poking out. Two tiny legs.
And not just any legs — frog legs, perfectly still, dusted with clay.
“It took a few moments of confusion before I spotted his little mouth,” Foster said. “That’s when I sprang into action.”
Without hesitation, Foster pried open the mold and carefully loosened the hardened slip that had trapped the frog inside.
He soaked the mold in water, gently working his fingers around the little creature until, at last, the frog popped free.
“It all happened so fast, I barely had time to think,” Foster said.
Once free, Foster rinsed the frog clean and held his breath — waiting to see if the tiny amphibian was okay. A moment later, the frog blinked, stretched, and gave a little wriggle, as if thanking him for the rescue (and the impromptu bath).
“After I got him out, he did this cute little motion with his hands — almost like he was feeling shy or embarrassed,” Foster said with a laugh.
Once the adrenaline faded, Foster began piecing together how the frog had gotten himself into such a sticky situation.
“There’s a small hole at the top of the mold,” he explained. “To a frog, it must’ve looked like a cozy burrow — the perfect hiding spot.”
After resting for a bit in the studio, the frog seemed ready to head home.
Foster carried him outside and gently set him beneath a bush.
“He immediately tucked himself under a pile of leaves,” Foster said.
The frog was safe — and Foster was left with an unforgettable memory.
Now, inspired by his unexpected visitor, he’s planning to channel the experience into his art.
“I’ll be making a frog-inspired ceramic series soon to commemorate it,” he said.
A reminder that even in the quiet corners of creativity, nature sometimes hops in to say hello.
