NATCHEZ — Like a spider launching forth its long, spindly legs, clay artist Audra Darbyshire is ready to step into her role as Natchez Clay’s new resident artist.

Inspired by nature, Darbyshire said lately she feels a little like nature poet Walt Whitman’s “noiseless, patient spider” — ready to explore and connect the world, which Whitman describes in the poem of that title.

Delicate renderings of spiders’ legs unfurling from negative space have been translated to Darbyshire’s work.

“I have a fascination with spiders, so I’m exploring that,” Darbyshire said. “I am attracted to things that visually radiate from one source. I look at nature a lot, and growth originally comes from one point and expands.”

She is usually more of a sculptural artist, but Darbyshire said her time in Natchez is all about artistic and personal evolution, and producing a new body of work.

“I don’t usually do functional work, but I’m trying that while I’m here,” Darbyshire said. “I usually do more sculptural-type things. I’m doing more things differently — like the spiders. But in two years I will be different. I like to evolve pretty regularly. In two months I will say, ‘It’s time to freshen up.’”

Darbyshire is a Floridian from the Sarasota area. She graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2010.

Darbyshire didn’t realize she had a way with clay until her professor and mentor, Hadi Abbas, pulled her aside.

“He saw something in me that I didn’t,” Darbyshire said.

Most recently, Darbyshire spent a year in the woods working as a resident artist at Virginia’s Cub Creek Foundation.

The artist said, so far, coming to Natchez was the right choice.

“After being in the woods, it’s nice to be in a community that’s so intimate,” Darbyshire said. “It’s unique for any city or town to have an artist residency program. I applied at a few other places, but I’m really excited to be here.”

Darbyshire said besides working and creating at Natchez Clay, she is ready to dig her own Natchez clay.

“I’m interested in natural clays,” Darbyshire said. “I want to dig clay here to see what it is capable of.”

Darbyshire said there are a variety of reasons she pursued clay art.

“I am fascinated by prints and drawing, which can sometimes be more tedious than I have tolerance for,” Darbyshire said. “In some ways clay is more immediate. Maybe because it’s three-dimensional, it’s easier to work out.”

Darbyshire said when it comes to technique, it is good to alternate between hand building and throwing. She said she has also gotten her hands on other types of clay techniques.

“For fun I like to do sculptural work,” Daryshire said. “But I want to do more functional work, and express myself at the same time. Function is not necessarily about that. And last year I started working with press molds and the contrast is interesting. Since then I’ve been brainstorming on what I would like to press.”

Donna K. Jones, owner of Natchez Clay, said Darbyshire has been a delight to work with.

“She did a great job working with the kids camp this summer,” Jones said. “The combination of her great talent, teaching skills and sweet disposition makes her a perfect fit for our clay community.”

While Darbyshire finds inspiration by just walking outside, she said sometimes she does get stuck. She keeps a file of images to instigate ideas, or, she simply thumbs through some Walt Whitman poems.

Darbyshire will begin teaching fall classes the week of Sept. 12. She said she is most anticipating seeing what each individual brings to the table, or wheel.

For more information call Natchez Clay at 601-660-2375, or visit www.natchezclay.com for a class schedule.