A tribe of larger-than-life clay figures will take up residence in the gardens of Glenfalloch, in Dunedin, today.
Otago Polytechnic Art School master of visual arts student Suzanne Emslie has spent the past 15 months crafting her mother, and her mother's 10 siblings, from clay.
The Thompson family grew up on a strawberry farm in Queenstown and the giant sculptures reflected the boisterous life the children had, she said.
"Some of the figures have fractured like family relationships do.
"Some are sitting like a hen-pecking order.
"There is definitely hierarchy within the group.''
The largest of the figures weighed about 200kg and a crane would be used to transport them.
Ms Emslie said she was pleased with her clay family.
"I'm starting to stand back now so I'm finding it quite overwhelming, but I'm pretty chuffed.''
She planned to make more clay people, but "half the size'' of the clay family.
"I think there is something about them, especially the sitting ones.
"Something that really pulls you towards them.''
The project, the last of Ms Emslie's seven-and-a-half- year masters degree, would be assessed on Friday.
The sculptures open for public viewing on June 12.
