Rebecca Lauren Miller, daughter of the Rt. Rev. Steven and Cindy Miller of the Diocese of Milwaukee, has set up quite an exhibit this year at General Convention. It features several different crèche scenes she has hand-crafted using clay and other materials.

At the age of 3, Lauren discovered her talent for making things with “found materials.” She first constructed a boat using scraps of paper, trash and gum wrappers. By the age of 10, Lauren had started her own business, making each unique figure with baked clay. Prices for her models and figures range from $12 each to $164 for a set.

She has received several commissions over the past few years, including one to decorate the sidewalks of Racine, Wis., where she lives. She contributed an otter and a birdbath to the project.

Formerly of Annandale, Va., Lauren will attend the Prairie School as a junior next year. She will explore many media, ranging from conventional two-dimensional arts to glass-blowing. While this may sound like a busy life, Lauren maintains an “A” average in school, where her favorite class, chemistry.

The inspiration to us all from this exhibit can be summed up by something Lauren said to one of her customers. “I don’t know why my mom put that on there,” she said, checking off the box next to “Jesus” on the order form. “Everybody gets Jesus free.”