"Harbinger"

Harbinger n. one who goes before and makes known the approach of another.

This gentle figure has been very patient with me.  As I worked on him - using the newspaper armature process - then covering all with paper clay - he sat there quietly.  As his body developed a bit off center, he made not a sound of complaint. 

Toward the end of the process -- when a head piece was needed -- I decided that at the very least he deserved a crown.

He also deserved, and got, a colorful set of clothes with a button that looks like it was made specifically for him.  I'm looking forward to having him watch over me as a whole new series based on his model come to life.  Hopefully each of them will be as patient as he has been.

"Find patience in the breath of life." - Ryunosuke Satoro

Learning As I Go

  

I'm experimenting again!  This time I followed the tutorial by Gritty Jane wherein she made a 'healing doll' using newspaper and paperclay.

After wadding up newspaper I covered it with masking tape.   The arms and legs were a little bit more of a challenge for me with the legs ending up longer than I had anticipated.  But turning up the ends to make feet (for shoes later on?) I found they would be just right.

After that came the paperclay covering - and as you can see by these pictures there is step after step of paperclay for one section has to dry before I can move on to another.

My lesson learned as I kept applying clay, was that this type of figure is going to be very 'irregular'.  Its impossible, with this format, to create the same exact doll each and every time. This is a good lesson for me.  It gives me freedom to experiment (whether I like it or not) and to not box myself in with the thought that each one of this series should look like the last one.  Patience Penny, patience!

"The combination of experience and experimentation will ultimately yield a personal sound." - Mark White

 

"Lucky One"

Hi Guys,

Hope you don’t mind but I’ve taken over Penny’s blog posting this morning – shhh she doesn’t know I’m here.

I thought you might like to know what ‘really’ goes on behind the scenes when she’s creating!  I’m the first one of her paperclay figures – so she started off making my head (and two others).  There we sat – the three of us – not knowing who would be chosen.

I have to say, it seemed like we waited quite awhile for her to get her act together – but at last she chose me.  At first I thought – “oh boy, I’m the lucky one”.  Well, let me tell you – I soon changed my mind about that.

We had to go through the whole body and costume design thing together.  She and I – me looking at her stoically while she sketched and drew and stitched and stuffed – all the while I’m thinking  “maybe I'm not so lucky”. That woman can mutter like nobody’s business – let me tell you.  I know I’m complaining but have you ever been the experiment for a master plan?  It isn’t fun!!

Finally we came to end of my journey and I spotted this wooden button that says “Lucky One” – I told her I just had to have it.  So she obliged and also gave me a really snazzy hat.  The next day she walked into her studio smiling at me – she likes me!  So now I guess I can say that I really am “The Lucky One”.  Wonder why she’s keeping me separate from the other two guys –  do you think she doesn’t want me to warn them about what's in store?

By the way, let’s just keep this little conversation between ourselves okay?

 "I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells.  Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope." - Dr Seuss

Desert Dreamer

I am a desert dreamer!  I love living here in the western North Carolina mountains - but my heart is split between here and the desert.  We spent many years in the deserts of Nevada and my son and his family still live there.  These days both my desert longings and my homesickness for family are soothed with all too brief trips spent out west. 

Recently I've gotten interested in the idea of creating beaded figures and after finding the most perfect desert-like button/cab I decided to try my hand at a beaded figure to honor the desert that I love.  And so, "Desert Dreamer" was born.  This was truly a learning experience.  How would I bead her?  How would I 'stuff' her to make her dimensional? How would I mount this abstract figure?  The beading was the 'easy' part and of course the very most fun part.  After some trial and error with finishes I was able to prepare the stand (with the help of my DH).  Before attaching the dowel to the base however I had to put it inside the figure and then stuff around it.  After I had it suitably stuffed I stitched across the bottom of the figure and I was able to put the dowel into the stand and voila - Desert Dreamer was born. 

Now I have my very own desert spirit -- looking at her will bring the rock formations, sage, mountains and mysteries of the desert back into my life.

"The phoenix hope, can wing her way trhough the desert skies, and still defying fortune's spite; revive from the ashes and rise". - Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra