Category: WIP
paper
I’m working on lots of new paper mache and thinking about little bits of paper I’ve found and saved.
I’m also working on a small gray owl. My plan was to make him entirely gray but he won’t have it.
boro owl and birds -wip
update 10/15:
I’ve abandoned the plan to put new things in the shop this week, instead it will be the beginning of next week. I was photographing things yesterday and this morning and saw lots of stuff I felt iffy about or didn’t like. I was particularly disappointed in the indigo owl, among other things his beak was completely wrong so I’m re -working it now and already like it much, much better.
I’ll post a couple more progress photos here later today.
indigo owl – in progress
Thanks for giving Chillingworth such a warm reception! I’m working on a new indigo owl now for next week’s shop update. The Japanese scraps are courtesey of Stephen Szczepanek. This owl is of particularly robust figure.
Some other work in progress:
And a couple things for the new “small things” section of the shop. A set of tiny office supplies in matchboxes and a pensive little cherub. I got the cherub an the Park slope Flea market – it washed up on Plum Beach in Brooklyn.
couture
I’m working on lots of things for the shop including a small collection of sweetheart birds, one of a kind things, detailed and intricate, elaborate and self indulgent – couture girls, la belle epoch. I’ll post progress photos here and if you’d like to be notified when they are ready you can join the shop mailing list.
I was working on this girl last night and she reminded me of a story I read as a kid. I must have been about nine when I first read it and I still have the book, a collection of stories, “The Doll That Was Rich” was read so frequently that the book falls open to the exact page I was thinking of: ” On the table in front of them were two dolls, one dressed and one partially dressed. Beside them was an open parcel, full of bits of bright colored silk; and beside that again was a work basket.” I still love the idea of a basket of fancy scraps and somebody to dress up.
More shop news: Just for fun, I’m adding a new section of found things, very small collections of very small things, flea market treasures, stuff I love- like this mini iron and trivet.
The first collection will be up within the next couple weeks – just six little things .
diabolical
I started working on an owl on Saturday made from this ruined antique bodice and someone very wicked is emerging.
I fully intended to make another scoundrel but this guy is so scoundrelly he makes the other look like a pussycat – he kind of surprised me. I already know who he is, a really villainous character, and I’ll tell you his name as soon as he is finished. I also got a massive cold this weekend and spent an insane amount of time staring into the internet. I came upon 2 honest, insightful posts about making stuff and selling it, one is by future girl and that led me to another by dudecraft, both talk about money, creativity and motivation.
feather
I got another surprise package from Stephen Szczepanek ( sri threads) yesterday, so many treasures it’s too much to think about all at once but I’ll share a couple: A single exquisite feather – the picture doesn’t do it justice – it is so soft and iridescent it seems almost liquid, it makes me think of this quote from “The Rings of Saturn” :
“I have always kept ducks, he said, even as a child, and the colors of their plumage, in particular the dark green and snow white, seemed to me the only possible answer to the questions that are on my mind.”
Some impossible blues – already being made into something. Thanks very much Mr. Szczepanek.
And something else – progress this morning on a new ship.
wire
I’m running out. I was working on some new bats and spiders over the weekend and realized that the big spool of wire I got at the flea market a couple years ago, the wire that is ideal for bats and spiders, the spool that seemed like a lifetime supply when I got it, is nearly gone. There weren’t any markings on the spool and I don’t know what it is- it’s pretty stiff and it’s flat on two sides; if you’ve got any ideas on what it might be or where I might get more or if you have some in your basement – I’d love to hear about it.
my place
feet, two dogs, a show girl and a fella
I’m working on owls.
And a photo I got at the flea market yesterday. I wish I had time to go through the box carefully. I usually look at pictures like this but don’t buy them – trying to have less stuff – but I had to take this one, so many things to like but mostly the little white dog, he seems to be the only one not in on the fun.
tuesday morning
under the knife
The Avocet has never been very steady on her feet and she is having a little operation to correct the problem.
